Inheritance scams are a type of scam that uses the tale of a person who has died and left an estate to the intended victim, who is contacted by someone posing as a lawyer or attorney. The scammer may claim that the victim is a distant relative of the deceased, or that they can collect the inheritance through legal trickery with someone who shares their last name. The scammer will ask for money before the victim can receive the inheritance. The stories and methods of inheritance scammers are constantly changing and evolving.
Be careful when you receive emails or letters telling you that you are a distant relative of someone you never heard of. Scammers will go to great lengths to convince you that a fortune awaits if you follow their instructions. They may even send you a large number of seemingly legitimate legal documents to sign, such as power of attorney documents.