Washington Co., Wi – The Washington County Sheriff’s Office wants to make residents aware of a fraudulent letter currently circulating that claims you are entitled to millions of dollars from a deceased individual who supposedly shares your last name.
Let me be very direct: this letter is a scam.
The document attempts to appear legitimate by using official-sounding titles, financial institutions, precise dollar amounts, and inheritance terminology.
It claims that an overseas account worth over $75 million is waiting to be claimed and offers to split the money 50/50. It encourages you to respond privately by email and provide personal contact information.
Here are the red flags:
You are contacted out of the blue about a massive inheritance.
The sender claims they “found you” because of your last name.
The story involves a tragic death and unclaimed millions.
You are promised a large percentage of the funds.
You are urged to respond privately and discreetly.
The transaction is described as “100% risk-free.”
The email address provided is generic and not tied to a legitimate financial institution.
This is a classic advance-fee / inheritance scam. The goal is simple: once you respond, the scammers will eventually request money for “taxes,” “transfer fees,” “legal costs,” or “processing charges.” They may also attempt to obtain your personal identifying information for identity theft.
No legitimate financial institution or government agency randomly selects individuals to claim millions of dollars from strangers overseas.
If you receive a letter like this:
Do not respond.
Do not provide personal information.
Do not send money.
Report it to FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
If it sounds too good to be true, it absolutely is.
We share this information to protect our community. Please talk to elderly family members and friends about these scams, as they are often specifically targeted.
Stay vigilant.
Sheriff Martin Schulteis