Scammers are setting up fake live streams of funerals to con people out of money

A Nottinghamshire funeral director has issued a warning after scammers targeted a family. A.W. Lymn said grieving families were being exploited by scammers who were setting up fake streams of funerals.

Since the pandemic, live streaming has become a popular way for someone to view a funeral if they are unable to make it on the day. Like many funeral directors, this is a service offered by A.W. Lymn, but this concept is now being taken advantage of by online scammers.

They are setting up and sharing fake links to live-stream funerals, which they do by cloning details, logos and images from obituary pages and the funeral streaming service website. This link is then shared through social media, and once it has been clicked on, individuals are asked to enter their bank details to donate.

This has resulted in members of the public being conned out of large sums of money, including one of the families being served by A.W. Lymn. Matthew Lymn Rose, Managing Director at A.W. Lymn, said: “We’re incredibly sorry to hear about what has happened to one of the families we have served. Ensuring we offer the highest quality of service to not only the direct families we serve - but those around - is something we keep at the core of our ethos.

“We want to ensure that nobody else falls victim to this unscrupulous scam and strongly advise people to digest this information above and stay vigilant. For anyone who would like further advice, they can contact their local A.W. Lymn funeral home who will be more than happy to offer their personal support.”

A.W. Lymn is now urging people to stay vigilant, and offering advice on how to avoid the scams. This includes reminding people that a legitimate streaming service will never ask you to pay to watch a funeral or make a donation during a live stream and that you should not open links from people you do not know, or links not from the family or funeral directors directly.

If you are unsure of anything regarding the livestreaming process, you should contact your local funeral directors who will be on hand to answer any questions you may have, as well as verify if a link is genuine.