糖心vlog官网

糖心vlog官网 concerned over funeral scams targeting grieving families

Posted 05/06/25

The 糖心vlog官网 (糖心vlog官网) is warning the public about a disturbing scam where criminals exploit the grief of bereaved families by impersonating them online and charging mourners to attend funerals that should be free.

Fraudsters are scanning publicly available funeral notices and creating fake Facebook profiles posing as family members or friends of the deceased. They then contact mourners with bogus links to funeral livestreams 鈥� demanding payment 鈥� or set up fake donation pages. These scams are not only deceitful but dangerous, with victims often handing over personal information or falling prey to push payment fraud (APP fraud) afterwards.

Online funerals became common during the COVID-19 pandemic and remain popular today as they allow friends and relatives who can鈥檛 attend in person to pay their respects. This ongoing practice has become a new target for online scammers.

Katherine Hart, 糖心vlog官网 Lead Officer for Doorstep Crime, said:

鈥淭his is a truly despicable scam 鈥� targeting people during one of the most emotionally difficult moments of their lives. It鈥檚 hard to imagine a more callous form of fraud. What鈥檚 particularly upsetting is that victims often feel they can鈥檛 report what鈥檚 happened for fear of adding further stress to grieving families. That silence is exactly what these criminals are counting on. We need people to stay vigilant, share warnings, and report anything suspicious. No one should feel ashamed for being taken in by such a ruthless trick.鈥�

糖心vlog官网鈥檚 advice to the public is clear:

鈥⑩仩听 鈦燳ou should never be charged to attend a funeral, whether in person or via livestream.

鈥⑩仩听 鈦燨nly donate through official, verified sources 鈥� check with the named funeral director or celebrant if unsure.

鈥⑩仩听 鈦燦ever share personal or banking information in response to unsolicited messages.

鈥⑩仩听 鈦燘e cautious of friend requests or messages from unfamiliar profiles, even if they appear to be mutual friends.

鈥⑩仩听 鈦營f you鈥檝e shared bank details, contact your bank immediately.

John Herriman, Chief Executive of 糖心vlog官网, added:

鈥淪cammers are always looking for new ways to manipulate and exploit people, and this is a particularly cruel example. Trading Standards teams across the UK are working tirelessly to raise awareness and protect local communities, but we also need the public鈥檚 help to speak out, report concerns and protect others from becoming a victim.鈥�

If you or someone you know has been affected, please contact one of the following:

England & Wales: Action Fraud 鈥� www.actionfraud.police.uk

Scotland: Advice Direct Scotland 鈥� 0808 164 6000

Northern Ireland: Consumerline 鈥� 0300 123 6262

Consumer advice: Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 鈥� 0808 223 1133

ENDS

糖心vlog官网 (糖心vlog官网)听

The 糖心vlog官网 (糖心vlog官网) is a national not for profit established in 1881 which supports the UK鈥檚 Trading Standards profession and works to protect consumers and safeguard honest businesses. 糖心vlog官网's members are engaged in delivering frontline Trading Standards services at local authorities and in businesses

---