MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff John Anderson is issuing a fraud alert concerning letters naming the recipients as inheritors of a trust account, purportedly belonging to a recently deceased distant relative.In one letter, signed by a Mr. Dando Sousa, the sender claims to represent PRIME FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED. The envelope is hand written to the addressee, and appears to have been mailed from the United Kingdom.
In the letter, Mr. Sousa claims that the decedent, presumably a relative of the recipient, left no will. It goes on to say that the financial institution in charge of the account believes the recipient is more than likely the decedent’s true and only next of kin.
In order to facilitate a “legal” transfer of funds, the recipient must first provide proof of identity.
Sheriff Anderson believes this is just one of numerous inheritance letters sent from overseas, and is likely just another identity theft tactic.
