Scams to Avoid After a Death
Tukios Websites • February 21, 2022
After a loss, the most important thing we should be focused on is dealing with our grief and spending time with close friends and family. Unfortunately, there are individuals out in the world who use this vulnerable opportunity to prey on grief-stricken individuals with carefully crafted scams and tricks. We want you to remain vigilant during this time, which is why we will outline a number of these scams so you can be prepared to report and avoid them when you see them! Our funeral home in Elsa, TX
is always accommodating and welcoming, so we hope that you inquire soon about any needs you may have! Fake Insurance Policy
One of the usual scams that occur is a person calling you or another surviving family member about a life insurance policy. The scammer typically says that the deceased was behind on payments, therefore the payout can only be released after you have made a payment; they typically ask for around $2,000. Do not ever send any payment or personal information over the phone. We recommend verifying the legitimacy of the company and gathering paperwork that displays any and all details about the deceased’s insurance policies. IRS Calls
A lot of scammers trick individuals by bombarding them with calls after the passing of the deceased claiming to be the IRS. These scammers will typically claim that the deceased owes tax money. Additionally, they will usually threaten legal action if you do not follow through with the payments. The unfortunate side of this is that scammers have grown more and more crafty, and they are now able to make their caller ID appear as though it is coming directly from the IRS. Do not fall for this! The IRS has openly stated that they will never demand information or money in this way. If you do receive one of these calls, we recommend calling the IRS yourself by looking up the legitimate phone number to discuss whether this information is true or not. Medicare Scam
With this scam, the scammers will call or email you claiming that the deceased’s or your Medicare insurance needs to be updated. The scammers claim that in order to properly update the card they require a social security number and date of birth. This is always a scam! Never give out your personal information over the phone in any instance, as this can lead you to a world of trouble. Collection Agents
Another scam that many individuals fall for is a scammer calling pretending to be a collection agent. They will typically claim that there is an outstanding balance remaining on a credit card, car loan, or medical bill. It’s important to understand that even if it is true that there is an outstanding balance, it is never your responsibility to pay it.
Dealing with the death of a loved one is difficult enough without having to make sure you don’t fall for scam phone calls and emails. Hopefully, we have helped you understand the dangers that sometimes lurk after the death of a loved one. Our funeral home
in Elsa, TX is always willing to help
! Check our services
now.
