Scammers Target Bereaved: Westtown-East Goshen Police Warn

CHESTER COUNTY, PA —Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police on Wednesday warned residents that scammers have reached an all-time low, targeting the bereaved.

A group of "deadbeat" scammers targeting central Pennsylvania are researching obituaries online and contacting the surviving relatives claiming to be calling from the funeral home that their family has legitimately selected.

The scammers misrepresent themselves telling the family members that while they were recently making their funeral arrangements, the family neglected to pay for an additional required service or insurance, police said.

The scammers then ask for a credit card number over the phone to finalize the arrangements to steal from the family members.

In a few cases, the scammers have "spoofed" their caller id to fictitiously display the number of the actual local funeral home that they have selected.

Police remind callers to never give out their credit card numbers over the phone to anyone.

Victims are asked to contact local police and the funeral home named by the scammer.