Shapiro Administration warning of inheritance scam targeting seniors

(WJET/WFXP)– Pennsylvania officials from several different state departments are reminding Pennsylvanians, especially older ones, to be on the lookout for a new inheritance scam where fraudsters are impersonating government email addresses.

Members of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID), Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS), and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) all put out the warning, saying older residents are being targeted the most.

Officials said scammers will reach out to residents with a realistic email address looking like it’s from the Commonwealth and request money through licensed financial institutions to receive a fake inheritance by using convincing language.

During the incident that brought the scam to their attention, officials said an older PA resident got an email from a generic account that looked like it came from the Commonwealth, claiming they were calling from a credit union outside the US with an inheritance left for them by a relative in the country.

They were told they’d get the funds, but with thousands of dollars in fees over the course of a year, and that the “representative’s” agency would be the only way they could receive customer support.

“Scammers exploit trust and perceived authority to steal money – often from vulnerable individuals,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “Please call us if a benefit or situation sounds too good to be true, because often it is. We strongly urge Pennsylvanians to connect with family, a trusted advisor, or any of our agencies before engaging with individuals offering unsolicited prizes, benefits, or payments.”

If you do get contacted by these scammers, officials said, do not provide any personal or financial information or money and hang up immediately if the call feels suspicious. Residents can also report the incident to PID or DoBS at 1-866-PAComplaint or through the Commonwealth’s website at pa.gov/consumer and file a report with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office or your local law enforcement.

Officials offered the following tips to avoid being scammed:

• Don’t respond to suspicious emails or texts.
• Don’t trust messages about winning money or getting an inheritance from someone you do not know.
• Do not feel pressured to act quickly or in secrecy;
• Check email addresses. Scammers can spoof emails, sending an email that looks like it is from a trusted source. Official emails from Pennsylvania state agencies always end in @pa.gov.
• Watch out for fake websites. Official Pennsylvania Commonwealth websites end in pa.gov and will always display the Commonwealth logo with the text “Official website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” on the top left corner of a web page; and
• Know that Pennsylvania agencies will not threaten immediate legal action or license suspension without proper notice.