Unclaimed life insurance money? It’s a scam
Scammers send mail pretending to be lawyers offering you a share of unclaimed life insurance money from a deceased person with your last name. The offer is fake and designed to extract money from you.
How it works
You receive a letter in the mail from someone posing as a lawyer. They claim a deceased person with your surname left a life insurance policy worth millions and you are the heir. They propose splitting the proceeds between you, charities, and their law firm. The actual goal is to get you to pay upfront fees or send personal information that enables theft.
Red flags to watch for
- Unsolicited mail about unclaimed money or inheritance
- Letter claims to be from a law firm you never contacted
- You are told you match a deceased person only by last name
- Offer mentions splitting large sums with charities and the sender
- Request for money upfront or sensitive personal details
What to do
Do not respond to the letter, call the number provided, or send any money or information. If you want to verify the claim, search for the supposed law firm independently using official sources and call their main number directly. Report the letter to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to your state's attorney general.
Not sure about a message like this?
Show Scam Sentinel the text, email, link, or call. It tells you in plain language what looks wrong or right, why, and the one thing to do next. A second opinion before you tap, pay, or pick up.
Source: FTC. Scam Sentinel summarizes official guidance in plain language; it is a decision aid, not a guarantee.