Trust Fund Release Scam

This scam typically begins with a message informing the target that they are the beneficiary of a trust established by a deceased relative, a wealthy benefactor, or even a stranger, often naming a specific and large dollar figure to make the prospect compelling. The message may arrive by email, letter, or social media and often names a supposed trustee, bank, or law firm handling the trust's administration.

Once the target responds, the trustee figure explains that funds cannot be released until a tax, insurance bond, legal fee, or 'unfreezing' charge is paid, always framed as a small percentage of the much larger sum awaiting release. Each payment is followed by a new complication requiring another fee, a hallmark of advance-fee fraud that continues extracting money for as long as the victim remains willing to pay.

Genuine trusts are administered by licensed trustees or attorneys who do not require the beneficiary to pay fees out of pocket before receiving a distribution, since any legitimate costs are deducted from the trust itself; any request for the beneficiary to personally wire money before receiving trust funds should be treated as fraudulent.