Consumer Blog
Getting taken by the undertaker
Some of the most tragic cases we see in consumer protection involve funeral homes defrauding customers - or future customers.
AG Nixon announced a settlement in one such case this week. In Missouri you can buy a "pre-need" or "pre-paid" funeral, which means you buy it while you're still alive, so that you can pick out what you want and your loved ones don't have to worry about the bill.
Missouri law requires that the funeral home put 80% of that money into a trust fund, untouchable for any reason other than your funeral when you die. Consumer fraud comes in when the owners spend that money for other purposes. That means when you die, it's not there to pay for your funeral. And unfortunately, we have seen a number of cases.
In 2005, AG Nixon filed Operation Grave Concerns, a group of lawsuits and criminal charges against companies in the bereavement industry.
Technorati Tags: , scams, moagoconsumer, consumer protection
Posted by on April 8, 2008 12:00 am :: Comments (1) :: Permalink
1 Response to "Getting taken by the undertaker"
says:
April 10, 2007 11:49 am
I'm glad you are focusing on identifying and prosecuting instances of pre-need funeral package fraud. There can be no greater pain from losing a loved one. And to then add the extra trauma of not having proper funeral arrangements organized - for something that has already been paid - is indeed a crime, both moral and economic.
I run a web site that allows consumers to rate funeral home providers. It's called Otrib.com
I will continue to monitor AG Nixon's efforts and link Operation Grave Concern convictions on Otrib.com
Thanks for policing this matter.
