The Bradenton Police Department has warned the public of a scheme that involves scammers preying on individuals who recently lost a loved one. In the past 24 hours, BPD has received two reports of “funeral home scams”. According to police, imposters pretend to be with the funeral home selected by the victims.

The scammer tells the victims that the funeral will be canceled unless more money is paid immediately. Police say the scammers use spoofing technology to make the call appear to come from the funeral home hired by the family.

Police ask possible victims to hang up immediately and contact the funeral home directly. Do not make any payments through PayPal, cryptocurrency, prepaid gift cards, or wire transfer services. Anyone with additional information should contact the Bradenton Police Department at 941-932-9300 or Crime Stoppers at 866-634-8477.