I received an email claiming a dying stranger wants to leave their fortune to charity through me because of my faith. Is this a scam?
Yes, this is a well-known variation of the advance-fee inheritance scam, adapted with religious framing to make the story feel more credible and to appeal to the recipient's charitable instincts.
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Explanation
This scam adapts the classic advance-fee inheritance fraud by adding a religious motive: the email claims to be from someone terminally ill, often described as a wealthy widow or widower with no living relatives, who wants to donate their fortune to charitable or religious causes and has chosen the recipient, a stranger, based on an internet search or claimed spiritual guidance. The story is designed to feel meaningful and providential rather than random, which lowers the recipient's guard compared to an obviously random financial windfall claim.
As the correspondence continues, the sender eventually introduces a lawyer, bank official, or clergy member who explains that a fee is required to release the funds, process paperwork, or cover taxes before the inheritance or donation can be transferred. Each payment made unlocks a new, larger obstacle requiring another payment, and the promised transfer never actually occurs because no real inheritance exists.
The religious framing serves the same function as the charitable-cause framing common in other versions of this scam: it gives the recipient a positive, altruistic reason to participate, and it can make people who would be suspicious of a personal windfall feel comfortable helping with what appears to be a good cause, when in fact the entire premise is fabricated.
Common red flags
- An unsolicited message from a stranger claims to want to leave a large fortune to you or a cause you support
- The story includes terminal illness, no living relatives, and a stated religious or charitable motive
- A fee is eventually requested to release funds, cover taxes, or process legal paperwork
- Communication relies heavily on email with poor verification of the claimed lawyer, bank, or official's identity
- Each payment leads to a new obstacle requiring further payment
What to do now
- Do not respond to unsolicited messages claiming a stranger wants to leave you or a charity a fortune
- Never pay any fee to release an inheritance or donation you did not expect and cannot independently verify
- Report the email to your email provider and to relevant fraud reporting bodies
- If a real charity is named, contact the charity directly to check whether they have any knowledge of the claimed gift
- Warn others, especially older relatives, who may be more likely to receive and trust this type of message
Frequently asked questions
Could a genuine stranger actually leave money to me or a charity through email contact?
Legitimate bequests are handled through a probate court and licensed attorneys who do not require upfront fees from a beneficiary or a charity to release funds, so any request for payment to access an inheritance is a reliable sign of fraud.