NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Scammers are targeting grieving families in Newport News, posing as funeral home staff to steal money during their most vulnerable moments.
Alinda Wheeler and her sister were planning their mother's funeral when they received what seemed like a legitimate call Monday evening.
The caller claimed to be affiliated with C.C. Carter Funeral Home in Newport News and knew specific details about their pre-arranged services, the Wheelers say. The imposter demanded $600 through Cash App to continue with funeral arrangements.
Wheeler says she thought the account was legitimate and sent $580 before realizing she had been scammed.
Chris Carter, the owner of C.C. Carter Funeral Home, says scammers are using his name and posing as fake family members of his to target vulnerable families. He says the fake callers demand money and threaten families, telling them, "The state will take the body back if they don't pay immediately."
Carter discovered the scammer had stolen his photo from the funeral home's website to make the Cash App account appear legitimate.
Newport News police say this type of scam is sadly common across Virginia and they are investigating this incident.
Carter says there were nine other victims the imposter allegedly tried to swindle money from. In some cases, the scammer told families they were on their way to the bank to get a check when the Cash App transaction didn't go through.
Carter's staff had to call potential victims to warn them it was a scam. The funeral home has now posted a warning message on their website alerting people about the ongoing scam.
They advise families not to send any funds through email or over the phone. Carter says, "It's sick that scammers would exploit people during such a vulnerable time in their lives."
He believes there's a special place in hell for people who prey on grieving families.
Police encourage families to never provide payments over the phone when funeral services are involved. They recommend asking for written confirmation of any service or payment request and advise people to trust their instincts if something feels strange about a phone call.
Wheeler says her experience has taught her family an important lesson about protecting themselves. She says they will never conduct any financial transactions over the phone again.
The scam highlights how criminals target people during their most emotional and vulnerable moments. Funeral directors across the region are now warning families to be extra cautious about unexpected payment requests.
