Advance Fee Scams in Moldova
How advance fee fraud targets Moldovans with fake inheritance, grant, and prize notifications demanding upfront payments.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Advance fee scams promise Moldovans access to large sums of money — an inheritance, a government grant, a business contract — in exchange for a series of upfront fees. Each payment is justified by a new requirement: legal clearance, taxes, insurance, or translation costs. The promised payout never arrives.
Moldova's economic context makes these scams particularly compelling. Promises of sudden wealth — especially tied to a European inheritance or foreign business deal — carry emotional weight and can lead people to pay substantial sums before recognising the deception.
How this scam works on Moldova
Contact arrives by email, SMS, or WhatsApp claiming the recipient has been identified as a beneficiary of a large estate or has won a prize. A lawyer or official-sounding representative explains the process and the first fee required.
As fees are paid, reasons for delays multiply. The scammer may claim documentation has been held by customs, that a government official requires a bribe, or that an insurance bond must be posted. Victims who push back are told their payment is almost complete — a manipulation designed to prevent them stopping.
Some variants target Moldovans specifically by referencing their diaspora relatives: 'Your relative in Italy has left a substantial estate and you are the named heir.'
Common red flags
- Notification of an inheritance or prize from someone unknown to you
- Any fee required before the promised funds can be released
- Official-sounding names and titles that cannot be verified through public records
- Reasons for delays keep changing; each resolved obstacle reveals a new one
- Contact insists on secrecy: 'Do not discuss this with family until the funds are received'
- Pressure to act within a fixed window or forfeit the funds
How to protect yourself
- Understand that no legitimate inheritance or prize requires a recipient to pay fees upfront
- Verify any claimed legal or government entity through official public channels independently
- Never send money in response to an unsolicited notification, regardless of how official it appears
- Consult an independent lawyer if you genuinely believe you may be a beneficiary of an estate
- Stop all communication and payments if you have already paid — further payment will not result in receiving any funds
How to report it
- Report to the Moldovan Police with all correspondence and payment records
- Notify the platform through which contact was made to have the account investigated
- Contact your bank immediately if a transfer was made to seek a recall
Frequently asked questions
The 'lawyer' sent me official-looking documents with stamps and signatures — does that make the inheritance real?
No — these documents are easy to fabricate using design software or copied templates, and scammers rely on their appearance of officialdom to overcome scepticism. Verify any inheritance claim through your own independently engaged notary or attorney, not the one presented by the person contacting you.
What if the message says my relative in Italy left me money and I do have relatives who emigrated?
Scammers often send mass messages referencing common diaspora destinations like Italy, hoping to hit real coincidences. A genuine inheritance is handled through formal probate and legal notification, not an unsolicited message asking for a fee. Contact your actual relatives directly, or a notary, to check independently.
I've paid two fees already — will the third one finally release the funds?
No — there is no final fee. Each payment simply confirms to the scammer that you'll keep paying, which is why a new obstacle always appears. Stop all further payments now and report what's already been paid to the Moldovan Police, even though recovering it is unlikely.
What is the best way to verify an inheritance claim in Moldova?
Consult a licenced Moldovan notary or attorney independently — not one introduced by the person contacting you. The notary can check official estate records. Any legitimate estate matter would be handled through formal legal channels with no upfront fees paid by the beneficiary.