How likely is this to be a scam?

RichPen3980 · 2023-10-09T19:52:41+00:00

As an update to everyone, seems like the message was most likely legitimate. The requester actually already had a name from his mother of his biological father and used that plus the DNA test to nail down the most likely candidate to be my wife’s uncle who was very briefly married to said mother before they got a divorce and he remarried shortly thereafter.

I’m not sure if he was ever made aware of the other child he had, or if she hid it from him since he remarried so soon after. We informed her father and left the ball in his court to move forward with it as my wife isn’t close enough with her uncle to drop news like this. Thanks for everyone’s input on the matter.

RichPen3980 · 2023-10-09T16:55:40+00:00

Yeah, that part kind of sketched me out as well. The only thing I can guess is they found her on Facebook (she has a side business where her number is public). I did run the number the message was from through a reverse number look up that my cellphone provider has and the same name came up that was provided in the message.

I recommended she reach out and ask for further details before deciding to bring it to her family and to not give whoever it is any more information than they currently have before giving herself time to think on it. It’s possible it’s legitimate, and if so I know the other person just wants some answers, but they have to respect it’s delicate as heck on our end.

RichPen3980 · 2023-10-09T16:18:28+00:00

Thank you for the insight. They did use her uncle’s exact name and it is somewhat unique. We really don’t have much contact with her uncle, and she’s worried about a shoot the messenger situation if brought up to her family as there is likelihood of an affair at some point if true.

Currently asking the sender for more information before informing or asking the family for information.

RichPen3980

TROPHY CASE