Better Business Bureau: Beware of COVID funeral scams | Features/Entertainment

A new United States federal program is helping to pay funeral expenses of people who died from COVID-19. Unfortunately, scammers are using this as a chance to steal personal information from bereaved family members.

How the scam works

You get a call, email, or text message from someone who claims to be from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or another government agency. The scammer is allegedly reaching out as part of the official COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program.

This “government official” claims that you qualify for financial assistance. But first they need information to “register” you for the program. Scammers may ask for the name, birth date, and social security number of a deceased family member. Sharing this information can lead to identity theft. You can read more on this topic with this article from AARP at…

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