We have all see and heard numerous stories about reincarnation. I think we have to be skeptical about the validity of these claims. Remember the kid was supposed to be the reincarnation of Premadasa; what a load lies that turned out to be. Of course all of these are anecdotes, and thus almost impossible to replicate and verify. Which makes things all the more convenient for scam artist.
All evidence suggests that the hard-wiring of the human brain determines our personality and memories. Even what we call cultural conditioning is essentially a rewiring of the brain in response to stimuli. In light of that I find it hard to believe that we inherit some metaphysical personality from another life.
And I've always wondered why these stories are so rare, how come i can't remember my past life.