Worrying article about probate fraud

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2390x51zqo

Begins as follows:

In late 2023, sisters Lisa and Nicole were told they had inherited a substantial sum from their late Aunt Christine. But while they were absorbing this life-changing news, the windfall was just as quickly snatched away.
A man unknown to Christine's family, friends or neighbours, appeared - apparently from nowhere - and produced a will, naming him sole heir to her entire estate.
Doubts about the man's claim grew as troubling details emerged. However, the police and probate service said they would not investigate.
Lisa and Nicole's is one of several similar cases investigated by BBC News in the south of England.
We found mounting evidence that a criminal gang has been carrying out systematic will fraud by exploiting weaknesses in the probate system, stealing millions of pounds from the estates of dead people, and committing serious tax fraud.

I was just looking at the shoplifting thread. Police won't act there either. All sorts of thefts and burglaries - no, we can't help there either. What on earth are they doing? The article I've linked to above is an open and shut case of fraud - money stolen from families who should have inherited, and from HM Treasury because inheritance tax isn't being paid either. In one case mentioned, the stolen property was then used as a cannabis farm, so yet more crime.

Anyway, yet another reason to make a will and make sure your family or friends know where it is and will act on it promptly.

This is horrifying and disgusting. Also, why on earth can't the heir finder company do anything about it, challenge it, surely they must have a legal team and finances, it shouldn't be down to the rightful beneficiaries to find the cash to fight this.
My late DM was contacted by an heir hunter. Turns out her GM had a child who was adopted and never had a family of his own and never made a will. She didn't get a lot as it was shared out between a lot of relatives and no doubt the heir hunters took a big chunk.

There is a lot of talk about 'law and order' but if it isnt something that 'the authorities' deal with you are all to often on your own with these days no ability to get legal aid to enforce or defend rights

It looks like the whole position is now out of control

Really interesting - thanks for posting. How awful that police and probate aren't interested and it's left to the tax office. And that it is so expensive to contest a clearly fake will.

I'll aways remember a couple of threads on here by someone whose brother had very obviously faked a will but she lost all her money fighting it.

The heir finder company cannot pursue this. They have no standing to do so. The only people who have any standing to take this to court are the original beneficiaries.

That's a cop out. I've signed papers before for someone to act on my behalf. They probably just want the easy pickings and haven't got a legal team.
So, it seems like anybody can search for this kind of thing and get a fake will drawn and go unchallenged. So wrong. Well at least the article has highlighted this and maybe something will be done to prevent it in future.

They could offer legal services to heirs, but there is no reason why they should sue on behalf of heirs. They are not charities. They are trying to make a profit. I get that you think someone else should pay for the legal costs and run the risk of losing and having to pay the other side's legal costs, but you have not offered any cogent reason why they should do so.

It turns out the article I linked to in the OP is based on a Radio 4 series going out at the moment. I've now heard episodes 1 and 2. Two more to come.

Jaw-dropping stuff so far. In today's episode the investigative reporter, Sue Mitchell, says that when you apply for probate online you're not even required to prove your identity! You just say yes, I'm X, and it's taken on trust. Who thought that was a good idea? In the old days you had to go to a Probate Office for a personal interview and I'm pretty sure when my husband did it for his parents' wills he had to take ID with him, which is obvious common sense when what's being granted is access to other people's money. I bet the people carrying out those interviews developed a good sense of who was being shifty. All swept away in the last few years.

Also, from either the article or last week's episode, it seems you're also asked if any inheritance tax is due and if you say no that's taken on trust too - not even a cross-check with HMRC! How much money could the Treasury be losing as a result of this? In the case of these criminals, they are deliberately undervaluing assets so there is no IHT to pay but once they have legal title to them they sell them for their true value. They also use some of these dilapidated homes, which used to belong to elderly recluses long out of touch with their families, as cannabis farms.

Once again, I'm left wondering what the police are actually capable of investigating now, whether that's because of lack of funding, training, numbers of suitably experienced officers or just political will.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zlz0

Just listened to last episode today. Jaw dropping indeed. At least the probate office is removing the online Bona Vacantia list. But I doubt it will be enough to fox the fraudsters for long. Shocking that the police never investigate . Maybe the only realistic hope is HMRC who do investigate when they suspect they are losing out on an income revenue stream. Hopefully they are working behind the scenes to stop this.
On another note Sue Mitchell is the coolest girl in school. All her investigations and radio series are just excellent . Her and her side kick Rob.

I've run out of words, not least because my jaw has dropped so much it's well nigh dislocated!