⛪ FUNERAL HOME SCAM ALERT 🚨 This egregious scam is being reported again in our area.
Scammers gather information about a deceased loved one from obituaries. They pretend to be from the funeral home selected by grieving family members and tell victims they must pay more money immediately, or the funeral will be canceled. They use a technique called "spoofing" to alter the caller ID, making calls appear to come from the funeral home.
If you receive one of these calls:
- HANG UP. Immediately contact the funeral home directly using a verified phone number - not the one provided in the scammer’s call, text, or email.
- DO NOT provide ANY form of payment.
- Contact BPD and report the crime: 941-932-9300.
It appears I have caused quite a stir. Law enforcement was again very respectful (I had checked in) and gave me a call, no direct contact. And my person of interest was none the wiser 🔎