A stranger left me money. Or so the email said.

An email from a “law firm” said a distant relative had died abroad and left me part of an estate I had never heard of.

The tone was formal, the case number looked official, and they asked only for a reply to begin paperwork.

Each step needed wire fees, tax prepayments, or notarisation costs before funds could release.

I paid several times because stopping felt like abandoning a windfall I had already funded.

Inheritance scams invent dead relatives and licensed-sounding lawyers; real probate does not run on gift cards or endless unlock wires to strangers you cannot verify.

While the emails arrived I was shocked enough to hope it might be true and embarrassed to ask family if anyone recognised the name.

When they demanded another urgent wire I searched inheritance scam and matched the letter text word for word to a public warning bulletin.

The fees I sent were gone; I felt foolish explaining the loss to my partner, but reporting it at least put the fake firm name on watchlists.

Real estates are handled through lawyers you choose and court filings you can verify—never through cold email and upfront fees to release money.

• Verify any inheritance claim with an attorney you hire; ignore pressure to wire taxes or fees first.
• Report to FBI IC3 (US), Action Fraud (UK), or your national fraud centre.

For more help, see our Report a scam page and Spot and avoid scams guide.