There are many scams floating about in Ohio. One scam that you may very well fall prey to is the inheritance letter scam. This is when you are sent a letter claiming you have inherited a large sum of money. It is easy to believe because you may not have been aware of the relative making the claim or you may actually have a relative named in the letter. These scams can be quite elaborate and look very real. So how can you tell if an inheritance letter is real or fake?
According to Forbes, inheritance letter scams often are written in a very formal way just as a real letter would be. They are on a letterhead and include legal language that makes it seem as if an attorney really did write it. In addition, you may not know all your relatives. Extended family can be huge and cover a wide area, so receiving a notice that you are the only heir to a fortune could happen.
There are some signs, though, of a fake letter that you can look for. Begin with identifying where the letter is coming from. If there is no return address, be suspicious. If you cannot seem to locate the sender or any information about the sender, this is a red flag. You also should try to research the supposed relative, especially if it seems unlikely they would even have known about your existence. Finally, watch the wording. It should not make it seem like an opportunity or some type of winnings. This information is only intended to educate and should not be interpreted as legal advice.
