Funeral home scammers tried to take $1,200 from family who lost 6-year-old

A funeral scam has made its way to Cincinnati and it could cost families thousands of dollars if they fall victim.

Scammers visit funeral home websites to look at upcoming services and then call families. While on the phone, the scammers say that a payment didn't go through and threaten to cancel the service unless they receive financial information.

Poul Lemasters, executive director of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, said the scammers are using software that allows their phone numbers to pop up as the funeral home the family is using.

“They say, ‘We have a problem with your payment,’ and ‘You need to give us $500, $5,000,’ or ‘We need you to repay it,’” Lemasters said. “They try to get a credit card, and they try to run it, and they try to get that money.”

Spring Grove Funeral Home said they have seen the scam happen to three different families.

One of the families had just lost a six-year-old and was told to pay $1,200 or the service would be canceled, said Skip Phelps, the funeral home’s chief operating officer.

“Her son was smart enough to stop her and call the funeral home director,” Phelps added.

He said the customers are often vulnerable after losing a loved one and have a wide range of emotions.

“Well, they were upset. They were shaken," he said. "Number one, they were thinking this isn’t like Spring Grove. Of course, we have to be paid, but we’re not pushing that hard. We’re probably going to be someone you know from Spring Grove calling you, not someone you don’t know.”

All of the clients called before sending money, but Spring Grove spent the next few hours calling the rest of their customers, telling them about the scam.

“Unfortunately, there are a lot of scams in a lot of industries, and the fact that it has moved to the funeral industry is really sad because that tells a lot about the character of some of the people in our world,” Phelps said.

Those who receive phone calls regarding an unsuccessful payment, specifically when it comes to funeral services, should hang up and call the funeral home director.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 Now provided this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: A funeral home scam targets people who have lost loved ones