By Joseph Kelly Levasseur, Attorney at Law
April 30, 2026Last week I received something unusual in my mailbox at my Manchester, New Hampshire office: a formal-looking letter on law-firm stationery, complete with a stamp and return address from Canada. It claimed I might be the beneficiary of a $10.8 million “Payable on Death” account left by a woman named Maria Levasseur — someone I've never met.
The letter offered to make me the heir in exchange for a 50/50 split after a 10% charitable donation. It looked professional. It sounded legitimate. It was 100% fake. This is a textbook inheritance scam (also called an advance-fee fraud or 419 scam), and it's making a comeback in physical mailboxes across the U.S. and Canada. Here's what you need to know to protect yourself and your family.
How This Scam Works
Scammers impersonate real law firms (in this case, they used the name and letterhead of a legitimate Canadian lawyer). They pick a common surname — like “Levasseur” — and send thousands of letters claiming a deceased client with the same last name left behind millions with no known heirs.
They promise you a huge windfall if you simply “partner” with them. Later — after you reply — they'll ask for “fees” to cover taxes, legal documents, wire transfers, or bank clearance. Once you pay, the scammers disappear and the promised millions never existed. The FTC has warned about these exact letter's multiple times. They are now being sent through regular mail with stamps and real-looking envelopes to make them seem more credible than emails.
Red Flags That Scream “Scam”
- You're contacted out of the blue by a stranger about an inheritance from a relative you've never heard of.
- The amount is enormous and the story is overly detailed (COVID death, stock broker, CPA, etc.).
- They ask you to keep it secret or act quickly.
- They propose splitting the money 50/50 after a “charity donation.”
- The contact email is a free Gmail account instead of the firm's official domain.
- The letter uses a real law firm's name and address but the contact details don't match the official website.
- Do not reply. Not even to say “no thank you.”
- Do not call or email any numbers or addresses in the letter.
- Throw it away — or better, save it as evidence.
- Report it immediately (see links below).
- Never pay any “upfront fees” to receive an inheritance. Legitimate executors and courts do not work this way.
- Verify independently. If someone claims to be a lawyer, Google their exact name and firm and call the number listed on their official website — never the one in the suspicious letter.
- Teach your family: Grandparents and seniors are frequent targets.
- Be skeptical of any unsolicited offer that sounds too good to be true.
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United States:
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service (mail fraud): uspis.gov/report
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: IC3.gov
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Canada:
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501
- Also report to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker: bbb.org/scamtracker
Bottom line: If it arrives in your mailbox promising millions from a stranger, it belongs in the trash — not your bank account.
Stay safe out there. If you ever receive something like this and want a second opinion, feel free to reach out — I'm happy to take a look.
Joseph Kelly Levasseur
Attorney at Law
Manchester, New Hampshire
Attorney at Law
Manchester, New Hampshire
603-622-7575
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