Probate "hunters"

FoxForce5

Hi all

My elderly aunt received a letter from Erin research.ie asking her to contact them regarding beneficiary etc... Now ironically she is a big fan of that uk show heir hunters but is weary of how to proceed in case it's a scam. Has any of you legal heads heard of this crowd and have you any advice on how she should proceed.

Much thanks

Initially, thought it was a scam 100% . But, there's no harm in following - up STRICTLY BY MAIL. Assume you're aware of their Drogheda address?? In the 'opening' correseponance is there anything specific ( a name of deceased/ date of death/ location) ....... if there is no specifics then yes, most likely yet another scam

FoxForce5

No specifics just my aunt's name. Googled address and had a look at website. I'll make contact strictly by mail as the who when ,why ,what etc see where it goes.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119470849#Comment_119470849

STRICTLY BY ( SNAIL) MAIL......... if they weren't inclined to give a 'lure- a teaser' in the opening correspondence it IS more likely another scam....... by replying 'old skool' on paper, that'll be more than likely the end of it

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119470895#Comment_119470895

My mother received one of these from a solicitors in england regarding the will of a distant relative. They provided no details of the deceased. I think she ended up with a couple of hundred quid out of it as she came from a big family and it was split amongst second cousins.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119481919#Comment_119481919

Hence, the advice to OP to follow up ( by MAIL) ....i sincerely hope the OP is shopping for the new bmw7 series shortly but I'd have serious reservations. Surely, any reputable solicitors office in UK provided "some" details of the deceased........& in your particular example the was a will involved.

FoxForce5

Sent letter as u advised done some digging it's this guy and his company

Can't post links but if you Google "Irish independent meet the heir hunters"

There is article on him

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119482016#Comment_119482016

No will hence the estate was divided amongst the closest living relatives. They won't provide details. If they did then the relatives could cut them out and claim it directly

FoxForce5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119482920#Comment_119482920

Surely any company would be subject to an foi request so you could get from them all info pertaining to your self? They might redact stuff but they still might leave info you could chase up?

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119482942#Comment_119482942

The information doesn't concern the person they contacted. The information relates to the deceased.

FoxForce5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119482956#Comment_119482956

But your name and name of deceased would be on some piece of paper together e.g family tree birth certs etc if it's info about you in their possession foi applies?

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119482991#Comment_119482991

So they send you a copy of your birth cert. How does that help you?

FoxForce5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119483003#Comment_119483003

Or a copy of the family tree they have used to determine my eligibility for the inheritance. At some point in their research the name of the deceased and the beneficiary must appear in the same sheet else they would want to have some memory .

laoisgem

Ah here, so releasing everyone else's data in a family tree?

Sit it out, like another poster, my mam received a letter years ago, not sure if the deceased name was on it but she did receive some inheritance.

FoxForce5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119483118#Comment_119483118

Lol, no but even a redacted family tree would give you your place relative to the deceased/others so you could match it with your own family tree or research. We sent a letter back to see will they bite so I'll keep ppl posted.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119483025#Comment_119483025

why are you entitled to that?

Tow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119483919#Comment_119483919

If you do not know how you are related to the deceased, you don't know what Group to to use for calculating CAT.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119485065#Comment_119485065

I suspect you have to signed a contract with the probate hunter before you get your money and info on the deceased.

https://www.heirhunteruk.co.uk/probate/

Once we have received your signed contract, we will be able to complete the legal paperwork and submit your claim to the Treasury Solicitor. We will be responsible for providing all the necessary documents to establish your claim.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119485106#Comment_119485106

100%. Until you sign a contract saying that they represent you and are entitled to a percentage for same they will tell you nothing.

Alun

Has nobody on this thread ever watched Heir Hunters on TV? They earn their money by taking a cut on the money that they get for you, that you otherwise wouldn't have any idea you were due. They therefore won't tell you anything about who the deceased is until you sign on the dotted line, otherwise you could just go off and try and make a claim yourself, and they'd be out of pocket. It's just simple business sense on their part.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119485165#Comment_119485165

pretty sure I've already said all that.