Beware of Obituary Pirates after Death of Loved One

LANSING – During National Consumer Protection Week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning Michigan residents of the latest frontier for scammers: death. As a recent article on the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) website cautions, posting online death notices heavy with personal information about the deceased could put that person, as well as their survivors, on the radar of fraudsters and opportunists.

In an obituary scam, the victim is targeted by scammers because they are either deceased or emotionally vulnerable from the grief of losing a loved one. In either case, the individuals are unlikely to be monitoring their accounts for unauthorized activity.

The details about a lost loved one that family and friends share online can be easily gathered by criminals to purchase even more personal data – like the deceased person’s address and social security number – from the dark web. Armed with that information, criminals can open bank accounts, obtain loans, secure health insurance, or file false tax returns in the deceased person’s name.

“It is almost beyond belief that there are people who are so unethical that they would exploit another’s loss for profit,” Nessel said. “Because these individuals do exist, we need to be mindful that the impulse to share special traits about a deceased loved one online can open up avenues for deception and scams. My office is prepared to prosecute fraudsters and offer helpful resources to their victims.”

Additionally, a grieving person can be more susceptible to manipulation from scammers masquerading as representatives of government agencies, collection agencies, or insurance companies. Scammers may also pose as long-lost friends, relatives, or romantic partners who contact the deceased’s survivors out of the blue to reminisce. But this is yet another tactic to acquire personal information to use for nefarious purposes. Some criminals might call the funeral home to stealthily obtain financial information about the deceased person or their family.

As the AARP article advises, to avoid a loved one becoming the subject of a scam, or becoming a victim of an obituary scam yourself, survivors should be on the lookout for red flags like:

• Bills or credit card activity for expenses accrued after your loved one’s death.
• Calls from government agency imposters, debt collectors, or insurance brokers about outstanding taxes, unpaid bills, or unfinished business supposedly left by the deceased.
• Callers who pressure you to pay immediately by wire transfer, gift card, or reloadable cash card.