Avoid Impartial Outsiders

Perpetrators of estate fraud do not want to be exposed. They want complete control of the estate, how it is managed and disbursed. They vigorously oppose any involvement of independent outsiders.

They operate in secret. They do not want any independent, impartial outsiders to see the true nature of their relationship with their elderly target, their manipulations, excessive influence, their ruthless cruelty.

Perpetrators position themselves as Executors, Administrators and Trustees of estate assets in addition to becoming beneficiaries.

This is another key identifying characteristic of undue influence and estate fraud in addition to the Three Tests described below.

The perpetrators will rigorously oppose the involvement of independent outsiders like bank trust departments that might provide protection for the rightful heirs.

Choose Your Trustee Very Carefully – In my case,  one of the perpetrators became Trustee of a Trust established by my father’s will.  She deliberately destroyed and wasted Trust assets in an attempt to deny me the resources to fight the larger fraud she was perpetrating against my mother’s estate.

The wisest, best course is to always keep estate discussions open and to inform and involve the heirs continually in any changes that might occur.

Secrecy allows covert manipulation, undue influence and fraud to flourish.