Funeral Home Scam Reported in Bradenton
December 30, 2023
The Bradenton Police Department warns the public of a scheme that involves imposters preying on people who recently lost a loved one. Two cases of the so-called “funeral home scam” have been reported to BPD in the past 24 hours. Imposters pretend to be from the funeral home selected by grieving family members. The scammers tell victims that the funeral will be canceled unless they pay more money immediately. The scammers use spoofing technology to change the phone number that appears on the caller ID.
If you receive one of these calls:
Hang up.
Resist the pressure to act immediately.
Contact the funeral home directly using a phone number you know is verified, not the one from the scammer’s phone call, text message, or email.
Do not provide any form of payment, including PayPal or other wire transfer services, cryptocurrency, or prepaid gift cards.
If you believe you have been a victim of one of these scams, contact your funeral home and report the crime to the Bradenton Police Department at 941-932-9300. You may also contact CrimeStoppers at manateecrimestoppers.com or 866-634-8477 (TIPS). You can also file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office online at www.myfloridalegal.com or by phone at 1-866-9-NO SCAM.