NFDA is alerting members to reports of a troubling scam targeting grieving families as they make funeral arrangements for veterans.

According to a recent Stars and Stripes report, an Army Casualty Assistance Center is warning families and funeral professionals about scammers posing as members of the military, honor guard personnel or government employees. The scammers contact families and claim that payment or a deposit is required to provide military funeral honors for their loved one.

Military funeral honors for eligible veterans are provided at no cost to families.

The Army has received reports from funeral homes in the Southeast of families receiving calls demanding immediate payment by credit card or money-transfer services. In some instances, scammers have reportedly claimed that the payment is a refundable insurance deposit and threatened to cancel the veteran’s military honors if the family does not pay.

In one reported case, a family was asked to send $1,500 using Apple Pay or Zelle.

Funeral Directors Can Help Protect Families

Funeral directors are often an important first line of defense against scams like these.

The Army advises families who receive a suspicious call about military funeral honors to hang up and notify their funeral home. Funeral directors generally coordinate requests for military funeral honors on behalf of the families they serve.

Members may want to remind families arranging services for a veteran that:

• Military funeral honors are provided at no cost to eligible veterans and their families.
• Families should be suspicious of anyone contacting them and demanding payment or a deposit for military funeral honors.
• Requests for immediate payment – particularly through wire transfers, payment apps, cryptocurrency, prepaid debit cards or gift cards – should be treated as a warning sign.
• If a family receives a suspicious call regarding military funeral honors, encourage them not to provide payment or personal financial information and to contact you.

Scam attempts can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Suspected criminal activity involving the Army may also be reported to Army Criminal Investigation Division.

Has This Happened to a Family You Served?

NFDA wants to hear from funeral professionals who have firsthand experience with this scam or who have served a family that received one of these calls.

If you have encountered this situation, please contact Lesley Witter, NFDA Senior Vice President, Advocacy, at lwitter@nfda.org. Lesley will work with members to gather their experiences and, where appropriate, connect them with relevant government officials and agencies.

Your experience can help NFDA better understand the scope of the problem and advocate for efforts to protect grieving families and veterans.

Read the full Stars and Stripes article, “Army warns of scammers targeting grieving families during veteran funeral planning,” for additional information.