07/09/2026

Unclaimed life insurance money? It’s a scam

FTC

We’ve written about this scam before, but like a bad sequel, it’s back. People are telling the FTC they’ve gotten letters in the mail from law firms about unclaimed life insurance money. Have you gotten one of these? The “lawyer” says that one of their clients, with your same last name, died and you’re the heir to a life insurance policy worth millions. (Spoiler alert: you’re not.) The letter then explains that they’d like to split the proceeds between you, some charity organizations, and their law firm. But what’s really happening here?

Here’s the first thing to know: this is not a letter from a lawyer — it’s from a scammer. The letter might sound convincing, with the firm supposedly trying to contact family members and finding no heir to “the fortune.” You might even be tempted to reply, since maybe the worst that happens is you don’t get a share of the money. But there is worse: if you contact them, they’ll try to get your personal and financial information (like your Social Security or bank account numbers), your money, or all of the above. And that life insurance policy or inheritance? It doesn’t exist at all.