{"id":3771,"date":"2021-10-11T17:08:22","date_gmt":"2021-10-12T00:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missingheir.com\/?p=3771"},"modified":"2021-10-11T17:08:22","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T00:08:22","slug":"estate-fraud-victim-what-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missingheir.com\/estate-fraud-victim-what-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do if You Suspect You or a Client Are a Victim of Estate Fraud"},"content":{"rendered":"
Estates are meant to be administered in accordance with the law in cases where the wishes of the deceased are not expressed in last will. When someone in a position to commits acts of fraud against the estate by trying to obtain estate assets without proper entitlement as an intestate heir, for personal gain they could be deliberately going against the best interests of the rightful heirs and the personal representative of the estate. Other parties might also be committing fraud. Below, we discuss estate and probate fraud, and how to react if you suspect fraud has been committed. Call a professional forensic genealogist<\/a> for proper, licensed, and legal assistance identifying the proper heirs to an estate. <\/p>\n Estate fraud or probate fraud can take one of several different forms. Anything that unduly affects the probate process might be a form of estate fraud. Common forms of fraud alleged in probate litigation include the following:<\/p>\n There are a number of red flags to watch out for to identify potential estate or probate fraud. Some of these events might include:<\/p>\n These are just a few examples of signs that something untoward has happened. Be vigilant for anything that appears off, given what you know about the decedent, the estate, and the family.<\/p>\n If you have reason to believe that estate fraud has taken place, whether you are the estate administrator, a family member, or an attorney representing an interested party, you need to act to ensure that the estate is administered properly and in accordance with the law. Probate litigation takes place whenever there are challenges to how an estate has been or should be administered. If you suspect fraud, you\u2019ll need to alert the probate court of your suspicions and be prepared to back up your allegations with evidence. <\/p>\n If you are concerned about an alleged heir or purported heir suddenly showing up, talk to the estate administrator or a probate attorney about hiring a qualified forensic genealogist for assistance validating the heir\u2019s claims of familial relation. If you are a family member, talk to the estate administrator or a probate attorney about your suspicions and your foundations. If you are an attorney, prepare to file a petition in court to challenge the administration of the estate. You may need to bring evidence including expert witness testimony provided by a qualified forensic genealogist. A forensic genealogist may also locate persons who could provide witness testimony concerning undue influence or other issues, documents proving that money or assets were improperly transferred or signatures were forged, reports or testimony from accountants showing money was mismanaged, or other evidence showing that some wrongdoing was committed. If you are concerned about a phantom heir\u2019s claims, talk to a qualified forensic genealogist for assistance validating the heir\u2019s claims of a relationship to the decedent.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re an estate administrator in need of seasoned assistance identifying and locating missing heirs to an estate and for determination of heirship proceedings, or heir research services in order to satisfy due diligence requirements, contact the qualified and thorough forensic genealogists at Von Langen, LLC at 561-748-2936.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Estates are meant to be administered in accordance with the law in cases where the wishes of the deceased are not expressed in last will. When someone in a position to commits acts of fraud against the estate by trying to obtain estate assets without proper entitlement as an intestate heir, for personal gain… Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3772,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is Estate Fraud?<\/h2>\n
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Signs of Estate Fraud<\/h2>\n
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What to Do if You Suspect Estate Fraud?<\/h2>\n