Going through the death of a loved one is numbing. Our brains go into a sort of auto-pilot enabling us to put one foot in front of the other physically as well as mentally. We settle into a grief-induced fog moving from one task to the next. To say we’re not thinking clearly is a huge understatement.
This can be a time that we are called to make some serious decisions about final arrangements. Often the deceased has not made any pre-arrangements so families or friends must step in. Even if pre-arrangements have been made there are still meetings with the funeral home and possibly others such as a minister. There are details to be arranged. There are additional payments to be made for any memorials or additional services.
The obituary is published. It is a treasure trove of information for scammers. The deceased’s name, date of birth, place of birth, parents’ names, survivors, times of visitation, time of service, veteran status, and, for some, so much more.
Scammers love obituaries. They have the ideal situation. There are people who are vulnerable, people who aren’t thinking clearly, people who have to make decisions that have time constraints, people who may be unaware of the protocol involving these decisions, and they have information on peoples’ schedules (visitation and funeral). Scammers can get a lot of information from the funeral home’s website as well so they are prepared to make the call to the grieving family member.
Be aware that scammers don’t care that you are grieving. They may call and impersonate the funeral home requesting payment for some service or item. They may request personal information or financial information. They hope you are emotionally drained so you just hand over the information they request.
Scammers may also use the information in obituaries to plan robberies. The obituary notes the times of visitation and the time of the funeral. These are ideal times for people to break into homes.
When you are dealing with the death of a loved one, it’s difficult to stay “alert” but keep the following in mind.
- Don’t make any rash decisions.
- Don’t offer credit card information.
- Don’t offer personal information.
- Hang up.
- Contact the funeral home. You may be working with a specific staff member or funeral director. Ask for them.
When the funeral is being held, ask a neighbor or friend to house-sit for you. Security cameras and video doorbells are helpful but someone’s presence in the home is a better deterrent to those who may want to deprive you of your possessions.
Grief and loss create a terrible void. We don’t want to think about people who will take advantage of someone who is trying to cope and get through the awful experience. But – they are out there and they will take advantage of you. Be alert.
Stay safe.
