A recent BBC News article revealed a chilling will-related fraud across England and Wales. Dubbed “systematic will fraud,” such crimes are orchestrated by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerabilities in the probate system—often stealing estates worth hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions of pounds.
Systematic will fraud involves criminal enterprises forging wills and submitting them to the Probate Registry to claim estates they have no legal right to. In many cases, the fraudsters fabricate documents after death, appointing themselves or an accomplice as executor and sole beneficiary.
These frauds are often discovered only after probate has been granted and the estate distributed—by which point it may be too late to recover the stolen assets.
One of the best ways to protect against this kind of fraud is to make a valid Will and ensure your chosen executors know where the original document is safely stored.
By instructing Martyn Prowel Gartsides, you can be confident that your Will accurately reflects your wishes and complies with all legal formalities—giving you peace of mind and protecting your estate for your loved ones.
It is important that you seek legal advice when making or updating your existing Will. Please do not hesitate to contact our Wills & Probate Teams on 02920 470 909 (Cardiff), 01633 213411 (Newport), 01873 857 555 (Abergavenny).