The online obituary scam is an increasingly widespread and dangerous form of cybercrime that takes advantage of people’smost vulnerable moments. By setting up false obituary pages on websites such as Facebook and Twitter, criminals can take advantage of grieving family and friends. The scam works by taking advantage of the public nature of most obituaries. Many online obituaries post details of memorial services or where to make donations in lieu of flowers. This information is vulnerable to those who would exploit those attempting to honor a deceased loved one. Criminals can pose as another family member or a close friend of the deceased and post a link to a donation page that redirects potential givers to a shady website where their financial information is collected. The other trick used by scammers is to send out mass emails to people they’ve obtained from public obituaries.
These emails will usually claim to be asking for help with “final expenses” or will claim to have found a “lost” account belonging to the deceased. They’ll often ask for bank account information or a credit card so that the money from the account can be forwarded to the email recipient. Victims of this scam should report it to their local police, as well as take steps to protect their personal information. This includes never responding to or clicking on suspicious emails or links. If someone believes they have been a victim of identity theft, they should contact their financial institution immediately and ask about their fraud protection policy. In addition to reporting any fraudulent activity, it is important to remember that the best way to avoid falling victim to the online obituary scam is to be aware of it and take steps to protect oneself against it. Be mindful of any suspicious emails or clicks sent to you or any members of a deceased’s family, and be aware of the possibility of impersonators in online forums. Taking these steps can help ensure that any donations a family wishes to make to honor a loved one are going to the intended recipient.