Is that inheritance or probate letter a scam?

Last reviewed 17 May 2026 · Published by Is This A Scam? (a FortifiedWall service)

Not every inheritance letter is a scam — some are real probate notices about a relative's estate. But inheritance is also a favorite scam hook. The safe move is the same either way: do not act on the letter, verify the details yourself, and only then decide.

What it looks like

A letter or email says you may be an heir or beneficiary. A genuine probate notice usually comes from an estate attorney, names the deceased relative and the heirs, cites a specific court and case number, and encourages you to seek your own independent legal advice. A scam version tends to do the opposite: it rushes you, asks for a fee or your bank details to “release” the funds, or claims a distant stranger left you a fortune.

Why it works

Inheritance scams combine hope with confusion. Probate is unfamiliar legal territory, so people are unsure what is normal. Add a large sum of money and a sense that acting fast protects your claim, and many will pay a “processing fee” or share account details before checking anything.

Red flags to watch for

  • You are asked to pay a fee, tax, or “release charge” up front. Real inheritances do not work that way.
  • The letter asks for your bank account or ID details to “transfer” the money.
  • The deceased is a stranger or a vaguely described “distant relative.”
  • You are told to keep it confidential or to act before a deadline.
  • No verifiable court, case number, or licensed attorney is named — or the named firm is oddly far from the named court.

What to do

  1. Do not pay anything and do not share bank or ID details until you have independently confirmed the letter.
  2. If an attorney is named, verify their license with the state bar association — for example the California State Bar at calbar.ca.gov.
  3. If a court case number is given, look it up in that county court's public records portal.
  4. Consider retaining your own independent attorney — a genuine probate notice will encourage exactly this.
  5. Not sure? Photograph the letter and email it to [email protected] for a verdict and specific verification steps.

Got a letter about an estate or inheritance? Take a clear photo and email it to [email protected]. Our AI checks it and emails back a verdict with specific steps to verify it.

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A real example

Verdict: SUSPICIOUS

A user photographed a legal letter from an estate attorney notifying family members of a court petition to administer a deceased relative's estate at a California county superior court. The letter named the petitioner, listed the heirs, cited a specific case number, and encouraged the family to retain independent counsel.

The letter followed the format of a standard probate notice — no request for money or personal information, and it encouraged hiring an independent attorney. But the service could not independently confirm the law firm or the court case at the time, and the office was an unusual distance from the named court. The verdict was SUSPICIOUS, with two steps: verify the attorney at the state bar, and confirm the case number at the county court.

The family followed both steps. The attorney was real and in good standing; the case existed with that attorney on record. With the case confirmed, the family learned the estate was worth roughly $2.6 million. The service did not guess — it flagged what it could not confirm and handed over two checks that took ten minutes and confirmed a genuine inheritance.

Verify through official channels