A Free Public Service

November 25, 2024

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California, USA.

FUNERAL  PRICES INFO SCAM

Attribution: US FTC.gov

Maybe you’re pre-planning a funeral for yourself or a loved one and decide to get some pricing information by calling a few funeral providers. Or you need to make urgent arrangements for a loved one who passed away in another state. When you’re making funeral arrangements, you have a right to get funeral pricing information over the phone.

A new FTC staff report about funeral providers’ practices revealed that it can often be hard to get clear and accurate price information over the phone. FTC staff made calls to funerals homes at all times of day. They were unable to get funeral price information by phone from some providers. For others, staff had to make several calls, especially after hours.

When FTC staff did get price information by phone, some providers gave different prices for the same services on different calls. Others gave out estimated prices or price ranges, instead of specific prices. And some didn’t disclose required third-party fees or gov.

If a funeral provider won’t give you accurate price information over the phone, try calling another provider. To learn more, check out Shopping for Funeral Services by Phone or Online.

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