Britons urged to make ‘powerful’ inheritance move to protect estates from fraudsters | Personal Finance | Finance
Britons have been urged to make one “powerful” inheritance move to protect their family legacies after a Government crackdown on fraudsters targeting unclaimed estates.
The “Bona Vacantia” list – a public record of estates left behind when people die without a will – has been pulled from the internet after a recent BBC probe exposed a surge in bogus claims. For decades, the list has helped councils and professional probate researchers, also known as ‘heir hunters’, trace rightful heirs when people die “intestate”. This refers to when someone dies without a will or immediate next of kin, and means the law will decide how their estate is divided. But fraudsters were also circling, lodging false claims in the hope of pocketing what was never theirs.
Experts at Finders International, one of Britain’s largest probate research firms, have warned that without access to the list, some estates could languish in limbo, never reaching the families who should inherit them. However, there is one “powerful” move people can make to sidestep criminals and ensure their assets end up in the right hands after they die, and that’s to write a will.
Research from the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) earlier this year found that more than half (53%) of UK adults do not have a will – a crucial oversight that can result in dying intestate.
While this not only risks assets going to unintended relatives, it can also leave loved ones facing unnecessary delays, legal complications, and even a larger inheritance tax bill. Without a valid will in place, it’s harder to plan tax-efficiently or take advantage of allowances that could reduce the estate’s liability. A properly drafted will, stored with a solicitor or the National Will Register, is the surest way to protect an estate from scammers.
Simonne Llewellyn, chief executive of Finders International, told Express.co.uk: “Securing the information at source is the most powerful first step.
“The message is clear: don’t give fraudsters the chance. Make a will, protect your inheritance, and make sure your loved ones – not conmen – benefit when the time comes.”
Ms Llewellyn otherwise welcomed the Bona Vacantia clampdown but urged ministers to act swiftly.
She said: “Removing the list was the right move to shut down opportunistic fraud.
“We encourage the Government Legal Department to build stronger relationships with trusted industry partners – including established probate research firms and their SRA-regulated solicitors.
“These collaborations will help ensure that genuine heirs are identified and protected, so that estates are passed on fairly, rather than left unclaimed or taken in error.”
