Grief, Trust, and a Bill That Never Existed

By Greg Collier

Every loss brings heartbreak, and scammers are now exploiting that heartbreak for cash.

A Moment of Mourning and a Lie You Never Saw Coming

When a loved one passes, families lean on funeral homes to help guide them through the worst week of their lives. Arrangements get made. Plans are finalized. Payments are settled. It’s one of the few moments where certainty feels possible.

And that’s exactly when fraudsters strike.

Across Southwest Virginia, grieving families are receiving fraudulent phone calls from criminals impersonating funeral directors—claiming there’s a sudden problem with the arrangements and demanding immediate payment to “avoid cancellation.”

It’s financial abuse disguised as urgency.

Three funeral homes have reported these fake calls, including Simpson Funeral Home & Crematory. One family hung up, sensed something was off, and canceled their cards just in time. Another family wasn’t so lucky—they lost $1,200 to the scam.

“It’s a horrible, horrible situation,” co-owner Bradley Simpson said. “You’ve already lost a loved one, and then you’re being taken advantage of. It’s just piling on.”

The calls feel legitimate. The pressure sounds real. But the demands?
They’re pure fiction.

What’s Going On

A family arranges a funeral. They believe everything is settled.

Within hours—or even days—scammers insert themselves into the process.

  • Fraudsters call pretending to be the funeral home, sometimes even referencing real arrangements.
  • They claim an “unexpected deposit” or “processing error” has occurred.
  • They threaten to delay or cancel services unless immediate payment is made.
  • Payments are routed through credit cards or direct transfers and vanish instantly.
  • Meanwhile, real funeral homes never made these calls at all—they learn about the scam only after the damage is done.

As Trey Finch of the Virginia Funeral Directors Association explains:

“Payment arrangements… are generally discussed face-to-face. You should not be receiving calls hours or days later.”

Roanoke County Police have now opened an investigation.

Why It Works

  • Emotional vulnerability: Families in mourning are overwhelmed, exhausted, and trying to honor a loved one. Scammers exploit that moment.
  • Borrowed authority: Funeral directors are trusted figures. When a caller imitates one, people rarely question it.
  • Urgency and fear: Threats to “cancel” or “delay” a funeral weaponize pressure. No one wants disruption during a memorial.
  • Payment confusion: Many families aren’t familiar with funeral billing processes, making surprise charges feel plausible.
  • Private arrangements: Because funerals are not public events, families often assume they must quietly resolve unexpected issues.

Red Flags

  • Any request for payment over the phone after arrangements are already completed.
  • A caller claiming there’s an “urgent problem” with your service contract.
  • Threats to cancel or postpone funeral services.
  • Pressure to act immediately or provide credit card details.
  • Calls from phone numbers that don’t match your funeral home’s official listing.
  • Requests for payment methods funeral homes never use, such as digital transfers or prepaid cards.

Quick Tip: Funeral homes do not add last-minute charges by phone. If someone is pressuring you for payment, hang up and call your funeral home directly using the number on your paperwork—not the number that called you.

What You Can Do

  • Verify first. Contact your funeral home directly to confirm any claim.
  • Trust your instincts. If the call feels off, it probably is.
  • Document everything. Save the phone number, the time of the call, and what was said.
  • Alert local law enforcement. Roanoke County Police are already investigating cases.
  • Warn family members involved in the arrangements so they don’t fall for the scam.

If You’ve Been Targeted

  • Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to dispute fraudulent charges.
  • File a police report—this helps investigators track patterns.
  • Notify your funeral home so they can alert other families.
  • Keep all documentation, including call logs and receipts.
  • Warn your community, especially older relatives or those handling arrangements alone.

Final Thoughts

Losing someone is hard enough. Scammers know that—and they’re weaponizing grief to steal money while families are at their most vulnerable. These calls aren’t just financial fraud; they’re emotional exploitation.

In moments of mourning, the best protection is clarity. Verify every request. Slow down the pressure. Call the funeral home directly.

Grief deserves compassion, not manipulation.

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