Random letter arrived saying dad is a beneficiary to someone we've never heard of

[user1478639495]

has anyone else had this and could advise? dad received a letter this week saying that he is entitled to part of a ladies estate, him and his brother except his brother passed earlier this year. We haven't heard of this woman's name before, I have googled the solicitors who sent the letter an all looks legit, I've been in touch via email and again everything seems to be ok BUT we have been caught with a scam before and are extremely nervous of things like this, the other issue is we have 6 weeks to act but the letter arrived almost 3 weeks after it was sent so we are already short on time. They want bank details (acc no sort code) and form of ID.

Part of me thinks well how else would you notify you and what more can I do to check it's legit? the other part of me is thinking its so random its got to be a scam?

Advice stories welcome tia

It’s not possible to pay you without a sort code so that is a massive red flag

Contact the company.
Ideally visit or check the address on Google maps.
Ask for the solicitors solicitor numbe and check all the details match.
If you can do a video call so you see the solicitor and chrck against linkeding.

Personally I'd set up a totally new separate bank account (its easy and fast) and explain an inheritance is coming and see...

Let us know if it pans out!!!

They aren’t saying “no sort code”.

they are saying “account no” (no short for number) AND “sort code”

Contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority, to see if the firm of solicitors are registered. Then use the contact details listed on the SRA website to contact them.

It's possible your Dad has been left money from a relative unknown to him. It does happen. However, don't send any banking information or ID, until you're sure the solicitors is legitimate. If you're really still unsure, go to a local firm of solicitors and ask them to check on your behalf.

Why do so many posters think the op was saying they didn’t want a sort code? No is common shorthand for number. The op should have put a comma perhaps to show they were two things (eg account no, sort code).

This

Go through the actual Solicitor, details from their website, and speak to the person who has sent the letter directly. They should be able to provide more detail.

My Dad had the same thing a few years ago. Turned out it was a distant relative he had never heard of. She had no children or anyone to leave her estate to and there was no will. So therefore they trace relatives, distant or otherwise and the estate, or a share of it, becomes yours.

My Dad called the solicitor details from the website and it was totally legit but definitely do your due diligence. The other option would be to instruct a solicitor of your own to look into this for you.

My Dad had to provide ID and bank details etc as part of the process but definitely check this out before doing that just in case.

He received 30K in the end. Nice surprise from someone he had never met or heard of.

@Tillow4ever So Op should ask for a cheque.

Ahh

i read it like this

no sort code) and form of ID

still would be dubious though

first letter should be checking they have correct person, not jumping in to get identification and bank details

as the op has emailed the firm that sets out the beneficiary is alive, so even without the bank details and identification, if it’s legit- then the father can’t be left out if receiving what’s his. So it gives you time to investigate whether this is legitimate

you can search the name of the person given in the letter https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/unclaimed-estates-list. To see if they did leave an unclaimed estate

The 'hurry hurry hurry!', wanting your bank account details and the fact you've been scammed before are all markers for it being another scam. Genuine contact should be made first before you get to the bank details part.

I'd do as other suggested, contact the solicitors from the number on their own website. If it does appear genuine, ask for payment either by cheque or into another, separate account, not one linked to your main accounts (so preferably in another bank entirely). If they try to rush you, insist that they can only pay into a main account or ask for payment for ANYTHING AT ALL (even a few pounds to cover 'expenses') then it's definitely a scam.

Check with the SRA
Check the registered address of the solicitor and the registered partners
Write and confirm receipt of the letter
Note you will take your passport in personally for the id check because you don't wish to scan it, so could they send an appointment
At this stage you would prefer a cheque rather than a bank transfer
Find out who exactly is leaving the money
What stage the process is at through probate

When my dads cousin passed away she was unmarried and had no children. She had a few properties in St Albans and they were valued to get just under 2mil for them. They got in touch with all living relatives, then they had to agree who they wanted to sell these properties too as they had 3 offers. Then once they had everyones choices in to sort and finalise everything and from her dying to paying out it took nearly 2 years.
Could you go to the solicitors in person and do it just to put your mind at ease? X

Have you spoken to the bank? They might have some advice on avoiding financial scams

It is a legitimate way for inheritance monies to be paid. My husband recently inherited some money and this is what he received, request for bank details and ID. He knew it was coming though so knew it was legit. As others have said look up the solicitors details online and contact them that way.

As per usual the number of people falling over themselves to say it's a scam with no proof one way or the other.

Well it might be - and that's easily confirmed or denied by doing all the things people have recommended. Checking out the solicitors online, phoning them, looking at the register.

Heir hunters and solicitors can and do contact people randomly or out of the blue to tell them about estates they knew nothing about. Because if they knew the deceased, were aware they had died and knew they were a beneficiary, there would be no need for heir hunters at all. As for the "time pressure", they are a commercial operation who will take their percentage for presenting the case of the beneficiaries and managing the distribution. They want it completed and onto the next one, not keep 20 beneficiaries waiting 6 months while one beneficiary dithers.

Hope your dad gets a decent windfall, OP.

first letter should be checking they have correct person, not jumping in to get identification and bank details

They know they have the right person. That's their whole job.

This happened to me! It was a great aunt (through marriage) of one of my parents who never had children. They lived in a different country (within the UK) so I hadn’t met them.

It's absolutely a scam. Scammers want bank details and if they're really lucky a form of ID. The whole scenario is totally improbable and unrealistic. I wouldn't waste my time researching anything. It's very easy to make a website and phone no. Gosh, no. Just no.

It happened to me and was legit.
Heir Hunter called. God knows how he tracked me down, he tried my daughter in laws DF first!
I did a few checks. Had contact with the Solicitors. About a year or so later a cheque arrived. A distant relative of my deceased DM apparently!

You need to be careful with this too as scammers can clone websites and phone numbers too. We had this buying a car. The business was a legitimate company with good reviews and on companies house. The scammers were 'selling' high value cars so would clone the website of a real company so the numbers we were using matched. A week later the website was gone. The cars were a bargain and my husband who is very tech savvy and sceptical got massive fomo and I had to talk him down and point out all the red flags. He nearly dropped 10k on a car we had never seen.

Best contact the solicitors authority

A beautiful demonstration of how punctuation is important!

Strangely heir hunters and solicitors can make mistakes

@user1478639495 all of the above advice, and NEVER give out bank details until you are 100% happy. Personally I'd get on a train and call at the solicitors office in person.

Good idea as somecscammers do set up false websites too.

There are a number of inheritance scams going around

Find the firm's details independently through the SRA solicitor register
Find the firm's main telephone number from that independent source.
Phone them and ask about the letter. Don’t use the phone number from the letter or email address.

Ask them to confirm that the letter was genuinely sent by them and that the bank/ID information they're requesting is legitimate.

Inheritances legally need to be paid into a account that belongs only to the heir.