'It's almost unbelievable': Michigan attorney general warns public about 'obituary pirates'

(WWJ) - Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning Michigan residents about a new type of scammer preying on vulnerable people: "obituary pirates."

The DA's office says scammers are targeting victims of recently departed loved ones using personal information found in obituaries.

"Posting death notices on the Internet that contain personal information about the deceased may draw the attention of scammers and opportunists to that person, as well as those who survived him," Nessel's office said in a press release.

In obituary fraud, victims are victimized "because they are either deceased or emotionally vulnerable due to the grief caused by the loss of a loved one." Either way, the DA's office says, victims are unlikely to monitor their accounts for unauthorized activity.

Nessel's office says scammers use details about the deceased that are shared online and "easily harvest them to acquire even more personal information" on the dark web. These include the deceased's address, social security number and more.

Scammers use that information to open a bank account, get a loan, purchase health insurance or file a false tax return in that person's name, Nessel's office said.

"It's almost impossible to believe that there are people out there who are so unethical that they would use someone else's loss for personal gain," Nessel says. "Because such people exist, we must be mindful that the desire to share about a deceased loved one online can open the door to deception and fraud."

Grief-stricken people may be more susceptible to manipulation by scammers "masquerading as representatives of government agencies, collection agencies or insurance companies," the DA's office said.

Scammers may also pose as long-lost friends, relatives or romantic partners who out of the blue contact the survivors of the deceased to reminisce. But this is "another tactic to obtain personal information to use for nefarious purposes."

Some criminals may even call the funeral home to "discreetly" obtain financial information about the deceased person or their family.

According to a recent article published by AARP, to avoid becoming a victim, victims should be on the lookout for warning signs such as:

• Bills or credit card transactions related to expenses incurred after the death of your loved one.
  
• Calls from self-appointed representatives of government agencies, debt collectors or insurance brokers about unpaid taxes, unpaid bills or unfinished business supposedly left behind by the deceased.
• Calls in which you are pressured to pay immediately with an electronic transfer, gift card, or reloadable money card.

Another variation on obituary fraud: "obituary pirates" scour newspapers and Web sites for details about the deaths of strangers, fabricate additional details and post fake obituaries as bait on blogs or video sites to gain views and advertising revenue, the DA's office alleges.

In some cases, pirates "simply record themselves reading a summary of the obituary and then upload it to the social media platform of their choice." Each click generates revenue for the pirate. If the obituary site has a donation link, those funds may not reach the recipient but end up in the hands of the fraudster.

Michigan residents whose deceased loved ones have been victimized by obituary pirates or scammers are encouraged to contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 517-335-7599 or the Attorney General's website.