The Latest Sedalia Area Scam Designed to Steal Your Information

There's a new scam going around the Sedalia area trying to trick you into giving your personal information, or even some money, to scammers.

Sedalia Police is warning the public about a letter that they may receive that's supposedly from a law firm representing the estate of a deceased possible relative. According to a post on their Facebook page, police say the letter will ask the recipient to contact them by phone or email to claim the money or property.

Then after you contact them, they will likely ask you for personal banking information or may ask you for money for processing fees.

The salient detail of the warning from the Sedalia Police Department, and something I've written in these scam warnings before is:

If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

Think about it, if someone in your family is leaving you an inheritance. It probably won't be some long-lost great aunt or great uncle. Or some relative you've never heard of. Even if you have a long-lost relative and you have a vague notion of who they are, are they really going to leave you something? It's possible, but not probable.

Scams that fool people work because the scammers are smart. Not because the victim is dumb. And this is a smart scam. It's seductive to think some relative is giving you something. Dummy up a fake law firm letterhead and it looks legit. It makes the victim feel secure. And more likely to trust whatever the scammer is asking.

So be smart. Be cautious. And remember this article if you receive a letter from a lawyer saying your old uncle Don, who you can't remember if you met, left you his life savings.

You can see an example of the scam letter here, and get more information on the scam on the Sedalia Police Department's Facebook page.