is this a scam....

rogers1892

My mum has received a letter from Quantock Research, claiming she is part of an unclaimed inheritance. It has asked her to confirm various details, but I'm concerned it's a scam. I've told her not to speak with them until verifeid.

Their website is pretty basic and contains no company number.....

any advice??

Regards, Gary

RAS

Hi

Just checked Companies House. This is not a current registered company, so either an individual or a partnership, if it is legit.

skylight

Not necessarily, but to right you are on your guard!!

There are companys out there who "chase" inheritances before the government get their hands on the cash and its gone forever. Obviously, they are a business and will charge a fee BUT a reputable one would ask for anything upfront. Any fees would be deducted from the inheritance if you actually get it (a % of, and if it turns out you are not able to get the money, then nothing is owed).

Of course, it could all be a scam. Until you talk to them, you are never going to know. But talk only! And don't hand a penny over. And if they want to talk, ensure its done at your house only with only you there so your Mum doesn't sign anything.

Have you googled them?? Any more clues? Whois.net on the website??

Pee

You are right to be careful. I looked at the website, and if it is a scam, it's a good one. Their wording is pretty good. (That seems to be an obvious tell tale sign with most scams.)

They are probably working on a contingency basis, which means they will want a % of what they find. You can probably negotiate this down, and in the meantime, have a think about who might have died, especially intestate or without knowing your mum's address, that might have left her something. If there is an obvious answer, contact York Probate Registry for a copy of the Grant, which will state who is dealing.

SunnySusie

Reminds me of that inheritence hunter reality TV show. When people die without a will people specialise in tracking down the next of kin. Of course they will claim a % but that seems fair enough to me. It was quite interesting to see how fast the companies act from getting prospective leads to getting out and about. It is a competitive business and if the amount is large there will be multiple people tracking you.

In the prog there were some bigger companies and even a husband and wife team who seemed to enjoy tracking smaller claims.

But yeah I think you should do your own research before handing over any details. It is also my understanding that these companies don't require upfront fees, they will take a % of the amount recovered, so be very cautious if they ask for cash to release money!

susan070571

Have just looked, they look fairly legitimate, but just be on your guard, They will obviously need to ask questions about who your mums parents were, as it may very well be a distant cousin who has died intestate, and without any apparrent heirs. If they are taking the trouble to find you then the estate must be fairly large, bare in mind though if you mum has lots of siblings then they will be entitlted to a share if she is. They shouldn't be asking you for bank details if they are then it sounds dodgy, but as I said before they will need to know about parents, grandparents etc. Good luck

rogers1892

thanks for all the advice guys....

i had a look at the company website which is fairly basic, I can't find a company number listed anywhere which made me wonder. My mum has received a letter from the company asking her to verify various details, the company knew her brother had died, new when her parents were married and died, so they do know an awful lot. I've told my mum to procede with caution and to certainly not sign anything yet.....

I wouldn't care, but the company are tracing my mum, her siblings (5) and her cousins (13) so it'll have to be a pretty huge inheritance to make a difference once it's shared!!

Thanks again for the advice!

GAry

lawz21

I agree act with caution but as long as your mum doesn't sign until she's sure there's no harm in asking trying to find out more about the company.

I've just had a look at the website and don't know if you saw this number 01278 439457?. Might be worth giving them a ring on your mum's behalf.

Pee

GucciMane wrote: »

Just give basic details address, dob, family etc. Nothing else. Call them round and ask them how much its worth. With the clues they provide try and work out who is dead. If you find out then decline their offer and go independently to reclaim the inheritance. Best way imo

Call them round to visit and then try to fleece them? If you are going to rip someone off, don't make them go to the expense of visiting you at home. That's just sick. By all means try to cut them out, but don't make them work in order to be cut out, that's a theft of someone's time IMO and covered by one of the ten commandments.

Mojisola

GucciMane wrote: »

Call them round and ask them how much its worth. With the clues they provide try and work out who is dead. If you find out then decline their offer and go independently to reclaim the inheritance. Best way imo

I don't think they would still be in business if they fell for this!

OP - Any money your Mum gets from the inheritance is more than she has now and the firm will have done hours of research to trace everyone. It wouldn't be worth their time for the small percentage they take unless the amount to be distributed is a reasonable sum.

floss2

The company would not know how much the estate is worth. The Government issues only basic information such as name, date of death & location. Then probate investigation companies choose which estate they will follow up & start with that death certificate followed by birth certificates to begin mapping a "family tree" & establishing whether there are any beneficiaries.