Manitoba RCMP have put out a warning following a scam targeting suspecting people to sign as the beneficiary of an unclaimed estate.
Police say a Headingley resident alerted them of the scam, which comes in the form of an official-looking letter from a purported accountant in Ontario. The letter states that a business magnate has died leaving an unclaimed life insurance policy. The letter wants the recipient to stand as the beneficiary of the estate because of the same surname.
Police say the public should never offer personal and/or financial information to unknown parties.
Tips to protect yourself against fraud:
- If it is too good to be true, it probably is
- Trustworthy businesses and institutions will rarely contact you by email, phone or text message to ask for personal details, including financial information
- Research it. Do a quick Internet search on the company to see if you can verify any of the information provided
- Read the fine print and know what you are agreeing to
Victims of fraud should contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to file a report.
See a sample of the fraudulent letter below:
