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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Jackiemh on Tuesday 06 June 23 21:32 BST (UK)
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Hello everyone
My brother has just received a letter from the above people regarding tracing missing beneficiaries.
My initial thoughts were that it was a scam but I see that Finders International is a legitimate
concern.
Has anyone had any dealings with them? Why haven't I (or my other brother) received the letter - or is it held up with snail mail?
Jackie
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Why haven't I (or my other brother) received the letter?
Perhaps they haven't found you yet :)
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They are one of the companies featured in all the BBC Heir Hunters series.
They may have yet to locate you and your other brother.
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Hi Jackie,
I was contacted by Finders back in May of 2014. I wasn't given any information at that point apart from being told they had been instructed by a firm of solicitors to try and trace relatives. I was asked to sign an agreement for their commission. I cannot remember exactly but I think it was February 15 when I eventually received a payment from my late distant cousins estate. This came from the solicitors involved. Not a life changing amount i hasten to add but very nice to receive none the less. I asked Finders for a family tree which I did receive. The solicitors also sent me a balance sheet naming everyone who inherited. Great for family history research.
I must be a lucky person because several years previously I had a similar experience with a different firm of heir hunters.
Hope this helps.
Welly x
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Thank you for your responses.
As our parents had been mentioned in the letter, I was thinking that this might apply to all 3 of us.
Yes, Welly that did help. I have been racking my brain to think who, what, when and why. Not that any of our ancestors was well off.
Just have to wait for developments.
Regards Jackie
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You are welcome Jackie,
I also couldn't think who my relative might be. As it turned out I did know of her and had researched that particular branch of the family. She was a distant cousin who never married. I hope you have a nice surprise eventually! Welly x
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I had a letter from a different firm of HHs a few years ago. My brother got a similar letter but a couple of weeks earlier - reason for the delay, they used the most recent address for me that they could find from electoral register which I moved from in 2003 and then chose not to be listed on the public ER. So my letter was forwarded by the people who bought our old house.
The supposed deceased relative was on my father's side of the family, but he having been deceased for several years at the time did not get a letter, but his sister (my aunt) who had died four months previously did get a letter. This was forwarded from her former care home to her son (her executor and my first cousin).
The tree which I received from the HH did not include this cousin, but did include his two siblings. The reason being that his two siblings were born in England but he was born abroad (his father was in the RAF at the time).
So as to who gets the letter depends on how thorough the HH is and where and how up to date their information.
The deceased "relative " was not ours - just happened to have the same name and year of birth and lived in same county as my father's first cousin.
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It does get rather complicated doesn't it?
Our surname is one of the lesser common ones but I do know of at least one other individual of the same name to each of us three so it is quite possible that we are not eligible.
Interesting scenario though.
Thanks again
Jackie
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Well, it appears that it is relevant to our family; being a cousin of our mother.
From their follow up letter, they know of me but not our other brother; cousins were not mentioned.
They must have quite a task as I know the lady in question had 8 brothers and sisters; most of whom married but several did not have any children.
I have been given the job of providing family information.
Jackie
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Still twiddling our thumbs. Can't hurry these things.
I now have a photo of the person involved (when she was about 3 and in fancy dress) that my cousin found in the album of a great aunt. She is looking to see what other gems are in it.
Jackie
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Update: Still heard nothing.
In the meantime, I applied for the lady's death certificate hoping that it might give me a bit more information.
She was living in a care home before passing away in a hospital following a fall. So little to be gleaned there. I have written to the care home so watch this space ......
Jackie
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Another update - I had a reply from the care home, saying there were some photos and a brief history available. So, now am waiting on those.
Also nothing more to report on Finders International.
Jackie
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Still twiddling thumbs with any communication from Finders or any solicitors.
However, a parcel of photos (and possibly other personal items) has just been delivered to one of my brothers, from the care home, and he has just shared a wedding photo of the lady in question with other members of the family. I am really pleased with that.
Jackie
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The continuing saga......
I contacted Finders International re getting a copy of a 'family tree' that they can produce (for a fee) of my grandfather and his siblings, their children and so on but with the names of living relatives deleted.
Their research is continuing because some of the beneficiaries are abroad and are being elusive.
So, still waiting.
Jackie
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Hi
Great to read the saga of your windfall. A friend has been lucky enough to receive two similar letters in the past decade, re estates of relatives who hadn’t married, nor even kept in touch.
Always been interested in shows like Heir Hunters so reckon it must be really exciting to receive news like yours.
Good luck
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It is an interesting experience. I haven't seen the Heir Hunters (or other similar) programmes but I imagine that if they condense everything into an hour's (or thereabouts) show, it may give a false impression of the actual time taken to sort everything out.
Jackie
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Well, nothing new on this topic.
I understand there is a time limit on the searches for beneficiaries. Then, the solicitors have to do their calculations and make contact.
So, will we get a Christmas bonus?
Jackie
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This is sort of related to the topic.
I received a query through one of the family history sites re the person (intestatee?) asking for contact details for them as the enquirer (a niece) hadn't been able to get any response to letters and phone calls.
So, I had to inform them of her death. Sad, isn't it when members of families lose contact with each other.
Jackie
PS No news.
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Just received a reply to a query regarding what was happening (or not) as the case may be.
Finders are still trying to establish contact with the overseas beneficiaries, who apparently have a common surname.
So, possibly in 2025 we may hear something but I am not holding my breath.
Jackie
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Merry Christmas Jackie,
Hopefully 2025 will bring some news. Keep us posted!
Welly x
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Well, still going on but we have moved up the chain so to speak.
My cousin contacted Finders to check progress and was told that it is now in the hands of the solicitors but we aren't holding our breath. I have managed to collect a bit more information about the deceased and her husband's family and now have a dedicated file for this topic and our benefactrix.
Maybe by Christmas?
Jackie
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Long ago my husband and his brother received letters from a firm of solicitors about a legacy from someone they didn't know. It turned out that it was a cousin of their father, who had never married, so the solicitors had to find all nearest relatives to share in his estate. This was a welcome sum which we received at at time when we were young and always short of cash. Quite some time later they received another letter from the same solicitors saying they they had made a mistake in the amount paid out and requested the return of part of the legacy. Somehow or other neither of the brothers managed to reply to that letter. It was too late anyway. It had all been spent on outstanding bills.
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You would think solicitors would have some kind of insurance for that type of senario.
Mistakes do happen but it wasn't your fault! Bit cheeky that.
Welly x
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With the cheekiness of youth I guess we thought, "Your fault, your funeral!". There was no way we could have repaid it. I had or have no sympathy with the mistakes of well-paid solicitors. It would have been a mere drop in the ocean of their funds, but I still feel a tiny twinge of guilt about it. It wasn't my decision, anyway, but that of my husband and his brother.