Scamming the Grave: Tips to Avoid Funeral Scams

There is no more difficult moment than that of arranging a funeral. The emotional and financial stresses of funeral arrangements are nearly unbearable for loved ones. To add to this burden owners and operators of funeral services sometimes take advantage of grieving families to increase their profit margins.

Common scams include charging fraudulent or absorptive fees, charging above retail value for memorial plaques, stones, and urns, switching high quality items for items of lower quality, and "package discounts" in which no real discounts are given.

For those lucky enough to have more than one funeral home in their town the best way to prevent being scammed is to visit several competing funeral homes to discuss the arrangement options they offer. Not only will this help family members better interpret your wishes later down the road; it will also give you the opportunity to review the costs associated with funeral arrangements. When arranging a funeral for a loved one bring someone along who is not as emotionally invested. This person can help you make clear headed decisions about what is right for the deceased.

When you enter a funeral home, before you even begin discussing the arrangements, a funeral director should provide you with a complete general price list for the services available. According to federal law funeral directors must provide a printed price list to each everyone who inquires about funeral arrangements in person. A director that is unwilling or reluctant to provide this price list should be avoided at all cost. Do not allow pick up of the remains until this price list has been provided.

Beware of fraudulent or unreasonable charges. Examples of typical funeral charges are quoted from www.davesfuneralchapel.com