"Carers Starve Man to Death to Benefit from His Will"
"Carers Starve Man to Death to benefit from his Will”:
How to protect yourself against fraudulent Wills
Mrs Rickard had been Anthony’s mother’s carer, until she unfortunately passed away in 2012. Mrs Rickard had at that point expected to be included in the Will, but to her dismay, Anthony had inherited his mother’s estate.
Mrs Rickard them created a Will for Anthony, making herself the beneficiary of the estate.
How can you protect yourself from fraudulent Wills?
1. Make your Will with a Solicitor
Solicitors are required to make records of their meeting with their clients, and the instructions that they are given. These notes act as evidence as to the meeting, and to the client’s intention behind the Will.
A solicitor will store your Will (often free of charge), and this will mean that the original is kept safe, and not destroyed by someone wishing to forge a new one.
2. Register your Will with Certainty
If your solicitor is registered with certainty, they may offer this service to you (Lawson West offer this free of charge). Certainty is a national Will database, and will log any Wills or codicils that are made. This means that if your Will is lost, it can be located, or its existence confirmed.
3. Review your Will
When you make a Will, it is important to review it, and keep notes of that review. If your Will is with a solicitor, they will make a record of this review for you. This shows your intent, and creates a pattern of will making. If, for example, your old will is then revoked for a new one that includes new beneficiaries never mentioned before, this may raise alarm bells.
Although it is OK for a new person to be included, it may require extra explanation when doing so.
Contact Us:
If you would like advice about your Will, contact the Lawson West Probate and Wills team on Tel: 0116 212 1000 or Contact Us here.
Remember: If you are concerned about a vulnerable person, contact the police or the duty social worker immediately.
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