One of the most disgusting scams in existence is the use of funerals and obituary information to extract money from those in mourning.
Cynically, widows are the primary targets here, but anyone who has just lost a loved one can become an unwitting mark.
Obituary raiders will scour the newspaper and internet for information about recently deceased individuals, and then show up at the wake or funeral.
They may also call their victims to deliver the “news.” Either way, intimidation and threatening language are common hallmarks of the scam. And, this approach is often done in one of three main ways:
● The thieves might show up with a package, demanding payment for something that the person ordered but hadn’t yet received.
● The other approach is the “lender” claim. Scammers have been known to demand repayment for a loan given to the person who has passed.
● The Federal Trade Commission has warned how imposters pretend to be from the funeral home and say that, unless the family pays more money immediately, the funeral will be canceled.
Playing on the weakness of loved ones in a state of loss, these scams can be effective forms of financial extraction. However, no reputable business will subject someone to this kind of torment.
If you’re contacted by a bank or some other business in this way, hang up and look for official correspondence containing a contact number for you to call yourself. Armed with this knowledge, the scam easily falls apart.
If it is a possible funeral scam, contact the funeral home directly. Use a phone number that you know is real, not one you got from the scammer’s text, email, or phone call. If you don’t know it, you’ll find it on the General Price List you received from the funeral home.
Know how scammers tell you to pay. Scammers want to get your money immediately, and in a way that makes it hard to track them down and hard for you to get your money back.
Never pay someone who insists you pay with a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a gift card. And never deposit a check and send money back to someone.
If someone has attempted to defraud you, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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Thank you for this valuable information, Jack and Dodie. 🙂
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The vultures at Restland in Dallas are bad enough. I told Momo to pay two farmhands with a pickup to come and fetch my remains and not to tell her what they did with my old bones. Total out or pocket cost,
$50.00. and the rest she can throw a big party.
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Oh my goodness. I am ALMOST ashamed to laugh.
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Go ahead, give it a good one. I’ve already made a deal with a farmer in Glenrose.
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These scamming techniques sound familiar, like something out of Dickens, with Fagin and the Artful Dodger. Just…techy.
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Whew. You are well read.
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Well, I must confess I haven’t read that particular book by Dickens, but I’m familiar with the story. I do love to read, though, and love the older books, classics, the best. They are the ones more connected to the Judeo-Christian thinking. And history, unrevised. Not to mention, great imagination and good escape hatch!
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Good points. Also pick a good and trustworthy funeral home. Funeral directors are trained not to leave loose ends such as death certificates. They take care of all the preliminaries related to all funeral costs. The other scams that are mentioned are not related to the actual funeral and costs associated with.
The worsts believe or not are the family memebers of all levels including children. My advise make sure you choose an executor that is not family related. The executor will make sure your wishes are carried out as per contract of how you want your funeral done. The executor will make sure all people that get the inheritance get their fair share as stated by the will and signs off. That way if and or when there is a dispute regarding the will then the parties then can start the process of draining the estate for damages etc. The executor is important because this person is level headed has nothing to gain by locking heads with the estate. Outside third party very important. I have witnessed children held as the executor of the will typically the older ones will and does go against the wishes of the parents if they wanted a full church funeral with casket. I’ve seen the older child cancel all funeral arrangement go with interment at the grave site and have them cremated and pocketed the remaining costs even tho the parents have prepaid the funeral years before. Yes, even if it’s in the will. The funeral home will ask first who the one in charge of is and deal with them even tho the will hasn’t been opened yet. It can take days to find out who the executor is and time is of the essence when it comes to funerals.
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Great advice and information. Thank you.
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[…] Scammers Prey on People […]
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