Posted: January 24, 2014
Updated: January 29, 2014
A new tasteless scam email is popping up in email inboxes across the country. According to an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the scam lifts the name and logo off of funeral home websites in hopes of getting recipients to click on a malware-infected link.
The email contains subject lines such as "funeral notification" or "passing of your friend," and appears to be an invitation to a funeral or memorial service for an unnamed friend or relative. Recipients are encouraged to click a link for more information.
Under no circumstances should recipients click the link; their computer will become infected with malware.
Please spread the word to your community about this scam, such as by sharing information on your funeral home's website or social media sites. You may even wish to encourage local media outlets to educate the public about this scam. Encourage people in your community to vist your website or contact your firm directly if they every have questions about scheduled funeral services.
More information can be found in the Cleveland Plain Dealer article.
Update: January 29, 2014
A scam email received by a member of the NFDA staff also included the name of a funeral home website provider at the bottom of the email. The perpetrators of this scam are doing all they can to make their emails seem legitimate.
