I was invited to an online 'will reading' but have to pay a fee to attend. Is that a real thing?
Legitimate will readings, where they happen at all, are typically arranged and communicated by the actual executor or family solicitor at no cost to attendees, so a paid invitation from an unfamiliar source is very likely a scam.
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Explanation
Contrary to popular depiction, formal 'will readings' as a single dramatic event are actually uncommon in most real legal systems; more often, beneficiaries are simply notified individually by the executor or solicitor once the will has been probated. Scammers exploit the public's familiarity with the dramatic 'will reading' trope from film and television to invent a fake online event, claiming you've been named as a beneficiary and must pay a small 'attendance fee' or 'verification fee' to join.
These invitations often arrive by email or social media message from an unfamiliar sender, sometimes referencing a deceased person's name found through an obituary or social media death announcement, and typically request payment through a payment app, gift card, or an unfamiliar online payment portal before providing a meeting link. Once payment is made, either no real meeting occurs, or attendees are funneled into a broader scam pitch, such as a fake investment opportunity or further fee requests.
If you genuinely believe you might be a named beneficiary in someone's will, the appropriate step is to wait for or seek out contact from the actual named executor or the family's solicitor, verified independently, rather than responding to an unsolicited paid invitation.
Common red flags
- Payment required just to attend or 'verify eligibility' for a will reading
- Invitation comes from an unfamiliar sender rather than a known executor or solicitor
- Meeting link only provided after payment is made
- Pressure to pay quickly to avoid losing your place at the reading
- No independent way to confirm the sender's identity or authority over the estate
What to do now
- Do not pay any fee to attend a claimed will reading
- Contact the deceased's actual known executor or solicitor directly to verify any genuine notification about the estate
- Search the sender's name and any organization mentioned for scam reports
- Report the invitation to the platform it arrived through, such as email provider or social media site
- Delete the message and avoid clicking any embedded links
Frequently asked questions
Do formal will readings really happen in real life?
They're much less common than fiction suggests; most jurisdictions notify beneficiaries individually through the executor or solicitor rather than holding a single group reading event.
What if I recognize the deceased's name from the invitation?
Recognizing the name doesn't confirm the invitation is genuine, since scammers commonly source real deceased people's names from obituaries; verify through the actual known executor or solicitor instead.