Experts are raising alarms over the rise of “funeral scams,” where fraudsters create fake fundraising pages or livestreams to steal money and harvest victims’ bank details.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) spoke to The Guardian about the shocking increase in scammers posting fake funeral live stream links on social media.
Criminals often share a Facebook post containing the link to the live stream or a charity page set up to raise money for the family of the deceased.
However, the links are designed to take you to a page asking for bank details for a £10 payment or donation to access the virtual funeral.
When the payment is completed, the video never starts.
Katherine Hart, the CTSI’s lead officer for doorstep crime, told The Guardian: “It’s hard to imagine a more callous form of fraud.”
“What’s particularly upsetting is that victims often feel they can’t report what’s happened for fear of adding further stress to grieving families.
“That silence is exactly what these criminals are counting on.”
Online streams gained traction during the pandemic, when people were unable to attend their loved ones’ funerals.
They are now used to allow guests who can’t attend in person to follow the ceremony virtually – whereas before, they might have missed it entirely.
Scammers are now hijacking the celebrations, often targeting funerals that have received widespread coverage in the media to trick as many victims as possible.
The National Association of Funeral Directors say that funeral scam cases have been rising over the past two years in the UK and Ireland.
Andrew Judd, NAFD Chief Executive, says: “The public should be extremely wary of any external links supposedly promoting a funeral and asking for money.”
He also advises that before clicking on links asking for donations, you should double check with close relatives of the deceased or the funeral organiser to see if it is legitimate.
He added: “If a funeral is being live streamed, a funeral director will be able to provide the genuine link and is always happy to be asked if anyone has concerns.”
You should always remain cautious of friend requests on social media from unknown accounts, and if you believe you may have handed over personal details to a scammer – let your bank know as soon as possible.
The CTSI emphasised that what makes these scams so successful is that victims often feel too embarrassed to tell anyone, but “silence is exactly what these criminals are counting on”.
The body warned that it’s vital for the public to report any incidences of funeral scams and speak out to prevent others from falling foul of similar schemes.
Lost money to a funeral scam? Whatever the scam, contact National Fraud Helpline. Call 0333 0033218 or fill out our Claim Form.