FREDERICK POLICE DEPARTMENT
100 West Patrick Street
Frederick, MD 21701
301-600-2100
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 7, 2007

International Inheritance Scam Targets Frederick Area

Recently, the Frederick Police Department has been informed of a financial scam targeting Frederick area residents. Letters have been sent from Spain alleging to be from a law firm handling the estate of the addressee’s distant relative. The letter further states that the relative died without a will, leaving a huge fortune in the millions of dollars. The sender, allegedly a lawyer, agrees to split the estate with the addressee for help in moving the money through the probate process.

The sender asks only for information and no money. However, the nature of these scams is to establish communication and trust with the victim, then request funds be sent to the “lawyer” to secure the fortune. Once the “lawyer” has extracted as much money from the victim as he thinks he can, he ceases communication and disappears with the money the victim has forwarded.

Unless you have irrefutable proof of the validity of the facts specified in the letter, the Frederick Police Department recommends you disregard such letters and not to send money or information to these scammers.