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[Finance] Finders international



Saunders

Well-known member
Oct 1, 2017
2,292
Brighton
I get you - there is an element of coffin chasing about it.

Their point is that these are estates left in purgatory on account of the benefactor not leaving a will. So they state that it would be almost impossible to know if you were in fact a potential beneficiary, particularly if you had never even met the distant ' long lost' relative. They portray this as a service and some people go to them speculatively to see if there's anything out there for them to claim.

I certainly had no inkling that I may've been in line for a pay out.

It is coffin chasing they have obtained a death certificate which is relatively cheap for them. Then they have written to every financial provider on their list, some wont tell them the amount until they know they are dealing with the executor. So if you get contact from one of these companies about a relative just do what they have done. Write to everyone especially major banks the post office etc there is standard wording that solicitors use while representing an estate and doing this you can do the same. Or just get a solicitor to do it for you that wont be charging 20% of what can be a very large sum.
 




Seagull kimchi

New member
Oct 8, 2010
4,007
Korea and India
It is coffin chasing they have obtained a death certificate which is relatively cheap for them. Then they have written to every financial provider on their list, some wont tell them the amount until they know they are dealing with the executor. So if you get contact from one of these companies about a relative just do what they have done. Write to everyone especially major banks the post office etc there is standard wording that solicitors use while representing an estate and doing this you can do the same. Or just get a solicitor to do it for you that wont be charging 20% of what can be a very large sum.

Great point - the only problem is that I have no idea who the 'relative' is. Without a name I'm stuck.
 


Early Doors

Coach
Sep 15, 2003
817
Horsham
That's brilliant info, cheers. I too am surprised that they don't know the amount at the outset. I guess they must have at least an inkling that the amount is over their threshold for extracting their fee - £1,000 per beneficiary in my case.

Can I ask? When your benefactor was revealed to you - were they known to you? Thanks again.

No. I had never heard of them and didn't even know they existed!
 


Brok

😐
Dec 26, 2011
4,328
I get you - I racked my brains for the worst case scenario and that's what popped out. I will be asking about that when I call them tomorrow.

But honestly - my rational brain is telling me after agreeing to the process a week later I'll get an email saying 'we're sorry to inform you that your claim was unsuccessful blah blah more prominent beneficiaries blah blah'.

Whatever, I'm good - it was fun for a while. I'll be sure to let you know.
Well? Have you called them yet?
 






GOM

living vicariously
Aug 8, 2005
3,223
Leeds - but not the dirty bit
It is coffin chasing they have obtained a death certificate which is relatively cheap for them. Then they have written to every financial provider on their list, some wont tell them the amount until they know they are dealing with the executor. So if you get contact from one of these companies about a relative just do what they have done. Write to everyone especially major banks the post office etc there is standard wording that solicitors use while representing an estate and doing this you can do the same. Or just get a solicitor to do it for you that wont be charging 20% of what can be a very large sum.

Do you really think that's how these companies work ?. I suggest you follow the advice in post #5 and watch the program on BBC2. All will be revealed.
 










Seagull kimchi

New member
Oct 8, 2010
4,007
Korea and India
Ok - I can probably wrap this up.

Had a really cool phone call with a lovely, enthusiastic young lady. As soon as I gave my name she exclaimed 'Do you have any idea how huge and complex your family is?'

Turns out the inheritance stems from the sister of my great grandmother on my late mother's side!!! I have no idea who this person was, but considering my grandmother died before I was born I can only assume my benefactor lived to a very ripe old age. There are dozens of beneficiaries, basically all my cousins on my mum's side and a whole other distant side to the family that we'd have no reason to know about.

She straight up said that there'll not be much in it for us, but the family tree she's constructing is full of intrigue and a bit of scandal, too.

So until I sign the contract I can't be sure entirely, but it looks to me like a run down or derelict property somewhere or a modest amount of savings will be divided between me and about 40 other benefactors - minus 20% + VAT. My reckoning - anything between £200 and £1,500 max.

Still, happy days - It's been a fun couple of days and I'm looking forward to getting the family tree and the old-time, retro-gossip!

I'll bounce this in the year or so it takes to process if anyone's interested. Cheers!
 






Seagull kimchi

New member
Oct 8, 2010
4,007
Korea and India
Thanks for the update! Sounds like Finders will do quite nicely out of it then!

Yep - we'll get a 1 fortieth or so and they'll get a cool 20% of the total.

I have a bit of an update though. My sister just got a letter from a competitor heir hunting company. As neither of us has signed up yet (apparently several of my cousins have) we may have scored a bit of leverage to drop that 20% down a tad.
 


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