Gransnet forums

Legal, pensions and money

Possible scam, advice please

(17 Posts)
Cillafan Thu 30-Jul-26 13:28:08

Hello, a few weeks ago I received a phone call from New York asking for my late sister who died several months ago, it was about shares for a media company, I knew nothing about these shares, and can find no proof, I was told by ,'carol' these shares are now mine and am being offered over £10 a share for the 3000 she allegedly held, after being sent transfer forms, etc; I was worn down by lengthy phone calls from her, and I have to pay a 'vendors deposit 'of £4000 to a company in the Philippines called Gam business support services (I can't find this company) before the shares are sold and I receive circa forty thousand pounds and the deposit back, the woman didn't have an American accent, more south east asian, my Bank refused to release the money saying there have been many scams originating from the Philippines, carol said I should insist they release the deposit money, I really don't know if I am being scammed or is it genuine, I'm a 65 year old man in a single household, I have no one else to ask it's causing me much anxiety and adding to my grief, has this sort of thing happened to anyone else?.....cheers

Marydoll Thu 30-Jul-26 13:31:00

Please don't send any money!!!

How did they get your contact details in the first place?

glammagran Thu 30-Jul-26 13:33:19

Did you or someone else place a death notice in a local paper? I have read somewhere that scammers scour these notices and glean who they can scam. Thank god your bank recognised this before you lost money.

Aldom Thu 30-Jul-26 13:34:37

I'm with Marydol on this.
Although I have no personal experience I have read about scams which involve paying a deposit in order to receive a large sum of money.
Please do not part with money.
Block the scammers.

pably15 Thu 30-Jul-26 13:34:37

I would be very careful, when someone says you've to send money in order to get the money from these shares, my gut feeling says it's a scam...please don't send any money...

Beechnut Thu 30-Jul-26 13:42:06

I had someone ring me once asking for an address for my (still alive) brother. I wasn’t comfortable to give it to her so said I would check with him first. While we were on the phone we had a conversation in which I asked her if she was from a company like they do on the to programme Heir Hunters and she said yes. Long story short I told my brother and it all turned out to be illegitimate.

MawsRosie Thu 30-Jul-26 13:42:25

Run for the hills!
I do hope you haven’t given them any banking or personal information
Block them ( and perhaps notify your bank in case they try to access your accounts. )

tanith Thu 30-Jul-26 13:43:36

Block the woman and pay nothing your bank is telling you its a scam please believe them before you lose your money.

AGAA4 Thu 30-Jul-26 13:43:43

You are being scammed. Asking for money before sending a higher sum to you is a well known fraud.
Don't let them have your money!

Delila Thu 30-Jul-26 13:44:09

It sounds highly unlikely and almost certainly a scam Cillafan. Block any further calls or emails from them, don’t engage with them in any way, and then have a calmer look into any of your sister’s finances that you have access to.

Does it sound at all plausible that she had shares you knew nothing about?

Beechnut Thu 30-Jul-26 13:44:25

Beechnut

I had someone ring me once asking for an address for my (still alive) brother. I wasn’t comfortable to give it to her so said I would check with him first. While we were on the phone we had a conversation in which I asked her if she was from a company like they do on the to programme Heir Hunters and she said yes. Long story short I told my brother and it all turned out to be illegitimate.

Sorry I mean legitimate 🙄

PommiePrincess Thu 30-Jul-26 13:48:18

Scam! Scam! Scam! Avoid.

Aldom Thu 30-Jul-26 13:48:25

Beechnut I'm wondering if auto correct has changed the last word of your post?
Did you mean legitimate? smile

PommiePrincess Thu 30-Jul-26 13:50:07

These people might be useful for advice:-

stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/reporting-fraud/

Fiona

Cressida Thu 30-Jul-26 13:50:32

Definitely sounds like a scam.

You could maybe contact BBC Rip Off Britain for support.

Beechnut Thu 30-Jul-26 13:53:58

Aldom

Beechnut I'm wondering if auto correct has changed the last word of your post?
Did you mean legitimate? smile

Thank you Aldom I did mean legitimate but wrote illegitimate instead.
I should have proof read.

NotAGran55 Thu 30-Jul-26 14:49:16

Cillafan please come back and tell us that you have heeded the advice on here and blocked this scammer.