There are a variety of financial predators that interfere with the legitimate process of probate.
They include con artists, caretaker deceivers, family betrayers, and privileged professional predators (Triple P’s). Each type of financial predator has a particular method and particular position within the probate process.
Signs of Probate Fraud
Some questions to ask yourself:
Could someone have forged the will document? Were you not notified of probate (and of the person’s passing) when you should have been? Are you a legal beneficiary but did not receive anything from the estate?
Did someone forge the will document?
You’ll want an expert to help sort this out. You can start by searching for the relevant documents at the county court (or let a PI do it). Sometimes wills are changed at the last minute legitimately. It’s important to be sure something is wrong with the will document itself before investing a lot in attorney bills.
Was probate closed before you got a chance to object?
This is where an attorney and a PI can really get down to business for you. You need the attorney to clarify whether you have a case or not, and the PI to find out the who, what, and how of the probate participants. This is one reason why you want to stay in touch with your loved ones!
You are a beneficiary but you received nothing?
Consult with an attorney to determine if you should have been a beneficiary. If you’ve been defrauded out of your share, there are many ways to get it back. The good news is that people are clearly identified in probate – so we can find them for you.
Also, consider learning more about the kinds of predators that focus on probate. This will help you to understand what may be happening.
If you are interested in training with STRIDER, please go to StriderPI.com and fill out a contact form or contact the operations desk at (512) 410-9136.
Be safe out there!
Strider #2927
Probate is the court-supervised process of authenticating a last will and testament if the deceased made one. It includes locating and determining the value of the person’s assets, paying their final bills and taxes, and distributing the remainder of the estate to their rightful beneficiaries.