Well, I've fallen victim to a great scam artist! I usually heed the advice and have not been a victim before. I thought I'd better report it to you, so perhaps other colleagues aren't caught by this same fellow.
The call came from a man who said he lived in Newport News, VA. It concerned his grandfather, who lives in Hampton, VA. This guy even called a local cemetery and made an appointment to meet with them the next morning! He said he would be meeting with me later that same day. He'd be bringing the clothing to be used, two life insurance policies, his grandfather's DD214, and other items. He even gave us the insurance policy numbers, said to be with American General.
After selecting a casket, vault, flowers, stationery items, etc during several phone calls, apparently the trap had been set! I'm well aware that should not have done this, but I agreed to send him $230, through Wal-Mart...supposedly to help with his transportation expenses. It occurred to me that this might be a scam, but I thought if it were, he would surely have asked for more.
I checked with the cemetery, and indeed they had spoken to him at least three times. And he had set an appointment to meet with them...an appointment that was never kept. Phone calls to this clown have gone unanswered, of course.
Well, there you have it! I've been licensed 42 years, and always was amazed when I heard someone had been a victim of such a scam. Well...no more. I hope others can learn from my mistake.
TWO REPONSES FROM OTHER OFDA MEMBERS
RECEIVED 10/14/2012
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I was called by this individual nearly a year and a half ago with the same story. He called three times on a Sunday morning and even wanted a price of a Batesville Aegean copper casket. He even gave me the name of the cemetery in Gallia County where his grandpa would be buried. He says he needed some cash to rent a car at Enterprise to get to Ohio. Even told me the name of the hospital where he died, Being a former Gallia County deputy sheriff I smelled something fishy. I called the mentioned hospital----no deaths of any males within past three days. I was able to secure a cell phone number from the individual. I talked to a detective at Newport News Police Dept. The phone was a disposable cell phone and the police dept. had received numerous calls from funeral directors from several northern states reporting the same scam.
This was a great piece, I did not fall all the way, but had this same person work on me and another firm in our community. I put the phone number into the google search engine, and well well what i read. I even called another firm in Virginia who told me more stuff. The guy gets a thrill on making the funeral homes work for a kick for him. Please go back to this director, tell him that I almost got bit by this guy. He never asked for money, but I made a question to him that he could not answer. Where was the deceased at ? Hospital, Home, NH, etc. He kept pushing it off then no more calls from him. He claimed that his sister was in charge who was in the Navy.
In the future, you think it is a scam, google the phone number and see what comes up. Usually you will find it is a scam and others have posted on it. I know I did on mine and a great length.