Greg's Corner

The Unthinkable World of Funeral Scams

By Greg Collier

In a world where we often lean on shared humanity during moments of grief, it’s difficult to imagine anything more sacred than a funeral. These ceremonies offer solace, remembrance, and a chance for loved ones to honor the departed. Yet, even in these deeply personal moments, scammers have found a way to intrude, exploiting sorrow and generosity for their gain.

Two particular schemes have emerged as glaring examples of how nothing is off-limits to those driven by greed. Both prey on vulnerability and compassion, capitalizing on the chaos and emotion that accompany loss.

The first scam, increasingly prevalent online, targets grieving families and friends through fake funeral livestream invitations. Leveraging the widespread use of social media, fraudsters mimic the profiles of deceased individuals or create fake tribute pages. These pages invite friends and acquaintances to view a funeral service livestream, but accessing the supposed stream requires entering credit card information. The charges, often disguised as small verification fees, evolve into recurring payments buried in fine print. Once victims realize the deception, they are left not only out of pocket, but also grappling with anger and betrayal during an already fragile time.

Equally troubling is a scam that plays out in person at busy intersections. Individuals hold signs featuring a child’s photograph, accompanied by desperate pleas for funeral donations. These images and stories tug at the heartstrings, compelling passersby to give what they can. But these narratives, like the signs themselves, are fabricated. The supposed grieving family doesn’t exist, and the money collected goes straight into the pockets of the scammers.

Both scams reveal a grim reality that even the most sacred moments are not immune to exploitation. These schemes prey on our best intentions, weaponizing grief and compassion to serve selfish ends. They target not only those who are mourning but also those who, in an act of kindness, attempt to help. Those who fall victim to these schemes may feel ashamed, but the blame lies entirely with the perpetrators who engineered the fraud.

In combating these scams, awareness can be a powerful deterrent, as knowledge of these tactics makes them less likely to succeed. By staying informed and supporting others in recognizing these schemes, communities can protect themselves and preserve the sanctity of moments that should remain untouched by deceit.

No corner of life is too sacred for scammers, it seems. But while their greed knows no bounds, neither does the potential for people to stand together, informed and resolute, against such exploitation. Grief may be universal, but so too is the resolve to safeguard our most cherished moments from those who would defile them for profit.