Residents have been warned over a 'funeral scam' where criminals are targeting bereaved families.
 
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is warning people to be on guard against 'despicable attempts' to target families when they are at their most vulnerable. 
 
Fraudsters are scanning funeral notices and then creating fake Facebook accounts to target the friends and family of the deceased. They are then offering links to the live streaming of the funeral at a cost or setting up fake opportunities to donate money.
 
CTSI Lead Officer, Katherine Hart, said: “This is one of the worst cases of hitting someone when they are at their most vulnerable that I have seen.

"We are seeing too many cases of people being exploited by criminals to hand over their money and personal details. 
 
“We urge consumers to follow our advice on how to avoid these despicable members of our society and it’s also really important to tell your friends, family and neighbours to also be wary of these types of scams as anyone can be targeted.”
 
CTSI Chief Executive, John Herriman, said: “As always, scammers are quick to leap on any opportunity to take advantage of uncertainty and to prey on members of the public, and in this case when they are already suffering with grief and upset. 
 
“Trading Standards will be doing everything they can to protect their local communities from these despicable individuals and we urge consumers to report any concerns to the Consumer Helpline so these criminals can be stopped in their tracks.”

The CTSI urges the public to:
• Remember that a funeral is a public event and you should never be charged to attend in person or online
• Do not trust links for donations that you find online - check on the official funeral directors post or contact them directly
• Never give out your personal details – these are extremely valuable to criminals
• If you’ve given out your bank details, then contact your bank immediately 
 
To report scams in England and Wales people can contact Action Fraud.