Login‘Ruthless’ Scam Targets Bereaved
Fraudsters are targeting grieving families with bogus video links and donation pages.
Journal of Trading Standards Staff
Posted 06 June 2025 | JoTS Online
Content Tags: Updates|Crime|National
A ‘despicable’ scam which exploits grieving friends and families of the recently deceased has sparked a renewed outcry from CTSI, which is warning the public to be on their guard.
As previously reported, scammers are trawling publicly available online funeral notices and then, posing as bereaved family members, sending links to mourners with requests for payment to view video streams of funerals.
Fraudsters are also setting up fake donation pages encouraging potential victims to hand over personal information that can be used to commit authorised push payment (APP) fraud. Trading Standards has received reports of fake donation pages appearing on platforms including Facebook and JustGiving.
This is a truly despicable scam – targeting people during one of the most emotionally difficult moments of their lives. It’s hard to imagine a more callous form of fraud
Katherine Hart, CTSI Lead Officer for Doorstep Crime, said: “This is a truly despicable scam – targeting people during one of the most emotionally difficult moments of their lives. It’s hard to imagine a more callous form of fraud.
“What’s particularly upsetting is that victims often feel they can’t report what’s happened for fear of adding further stress to grieving families. That silence is exactly what these criminals are counting on. We need people to stay vigilant, share warnings, and report anything suspicious. No one should feel ashamed for being taken in by such a ruthless trick.”
John Herriman, Chief Executive of CTSI, added: “Scammers are always looking for new ways to manipulate and exploit people, and this is a particularly cruel example. Trading Standards teams across the UK are working tirelessly to raise awareness and protect local communities, but we also need the public’s help to speak out, report concerns and protect others from becoming a victim.”
CTSI is advising the public:
- You should never be charged to attend a funeral, whether in person or via livestream.
- Only donate through official, verified sources – check with the named funeral director or celebrant if unsure.
- Never share personal or banking information in response to unsolicited messages.
- Be cautious of friend requests or messages from unfamiliar profiles, even if they appear to be mutual friends.
- If you’ve shared bank details, contact your bank immediately.
If you or someone you know has been affected, please contact one of the following:
England & Wales: Action Fraud – www.actionfraud.police.uk
Scotland: Advice Direct Scotland – 0808 164 6000
Northern Ireland: Consumerline – 0300 123 6262
Consumer advice: Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline – 0808 223 1133
PLEASE NOTE: This content originally appeared on our standalone Journal of Trading Standards website (www.journaloftradingstandards.co.uk), which we are gradually migrating over to the Journal's new home on the CTSI website. Please bear with us while we complete this process. This will not affect the production of our Print Edition.
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Content Tags: Updates|Crime|National
