Fraudsters Steal Late Aunt's Wealth

This is a Pinner news story, published by BBC, that relates primarily to Christine Harverson's news.

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serious tax fraud

BBC

•

World

How fake-will fraudsters steal millions from the dead

Summary

Nutrition label

74% Informative

A Hungarian man appeared - apparently from nowhere - to produce a will naming him sole heir to Christine Harverson's estate.

Heir-finders use an official government register that lists estates where no will has been made.

They research the dead person's family in order to identify, locate and contact the rightful heirs.

In return for a portion of the inheritance, these companies act on the heirs' behalf.

This gives them the legal right to deal with a deceased person's estate in other words, their property, money and possessions.

Anglia Research has come across cases where estates have been valued at just under the inheritance tax threshold.

Applicants for grant of probate must complete a form to say this has been done, but under the current arrangements, they need do no more than declare on the online form that no tax is due.

The system relies largely on trust, but gives ample opportunity for that trust to be abused.

Bela Kovacs was granted probate over the estate of Michael Judd , from Pinner , west London .

Kovacs , a Hungarian named in a will dated 2021 , was heir to the entire estate of Mr Judd .

VR Score

Informative language

Neutral language

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

Offensive language