Urgent Scam Alert: Credit Card Fraud Targeting Funeral Homes
July 8, 2025
Watch out for fake service requests involving third-party payment transfers.
Multiple funeral homes have recently been targeted by a sophisticated credit card scam — and we want to help you and your staff stay protected.
The scam begins with someone contacting a funeral home to plan a memorial service — often providing specific details like a clergy member, a short visitation, and live music. The request sounds legitimate, but the goal is to involve the funeral home in a fraudulent financial transaction.
Here’s how the scam typically works:
- A person posing as a family member asks the funeral home to book and pay an outside vendor (usually a band or performer) on their behalf.
- The scammer provides a credit card to cover the full cost of the service, including the vendor payment.
- The vendor, however, only accepts wire transfers, and urges the funeral home to send the money quickly.
- Once the money is wired, the original credit card charge is reversed or found to be fraudulent, leaving the funeral home liable for the loss.
Red flags to watch for:
- Requests to pay third-party vendors directly using funds passed through the funeral home
- Vendors who won’t accept credit cards or checks and insist on wire transfers
- Out-of-state callers or unfamiliar names that can’t be easily verified
- Obituaries or service details that feel generic, vague, or inconsistent
- High-dollar transactions with urgent or last-minute timing
How to protect your firm:
- Decline to act as a middleman for vendor payments
- Verify family identities and relationships when working with unfamiliar names or locations
- Trust your instincts and train your staff to speak up if something feels off
- Use caution with high-dollar transactions from new or out-of-town contacts
These scams can be convincing — but awareness is your best protection. Take a moment to share this warning with your team and stay alert for similar patterns.
If you’ve encountered suspicious activity or have concerns about a potential scam, contact your local authorities or report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
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[Blountville, TN / New York, NY — December 2025 ] — Heritage Family, a leading national network of funeral homes and cemeteries, today announced the company-wide expansion of their successful partnership with Chptr, in collaboration with Tribute Technology, delivering modern video and television-based death notices and community announcements to families across all Heritage Family locations nationwide. Chptr is a media and technology platform that helps funeral homes distribute service information through trusted local television and publisher channels, extending reach within the communities they serve. Through this partnership, Heritage Family locations will be able to share service listings and death notices across local station websites, station-owned digital platforms, and affiliated publisher networks. The initiative is powered by Chptr’s national media network and integrated into Tribute Technology through Tribute Spotlights—creating a seamless workflow for funeral home teams. “For generations, local television has been one of the most trusted ways communities learn about important life events,” said Lindsay Granson, Chief Operating Officer of Heritage Family . “This partnership allows us to bring that reach back to funeral service—combining Tribute Technology’s platform with Chptr’s media network to ensure families’ announcements are seen where communities already turn for local information.” Through the integration, funeral homes using Tribute Technology can activate Tribute Spotlights , which distribute death notices and service details beyond traditional obituary pages and into trusted local media ecosystems . Chptr serves as the media and distribution layer—connecting listings to television stations and publishers across hundreds of U.S. markets—while Tribute Technology remains the core platform funeral homes already rely on. “Funeral homes deserve modern visibility without added complexity,” said Craig Greenseid, President and CEO of Tribute Technology . “By integrating Tribute Spotlights with Chptr’s broadcast network, we’re giving firms a simple, scalable way to extend their reach into local television and publisher channels—without changing how they work.” Chptr’s media network includes partnerships with major local television station groups and regional publishers, helping funeral homes reduce reliance on third-party obituary aggregators while retaining first-party ownership, local trust, and measurable reach . “For generations, families have paid significant fees simply to publish an obituary. This partnership changes that forever,” said Rehan Choudhry, CEO of Chptr . “For the first time ever, funeral homes can offer families broadcasted obituaries at no cost—ending an era of expensive print notices and replacing it with a modern, media-driven approach that reaches communities where they engage today and fundamentally modernizes how life is honored.” A nationwide rollout across funeral homes and cemeteries As part of the expansion, Heritage Family locations will gain: Television-based death notices and service listings via local station websites Distribution through trusted broadcast and publisher networks , not just aggregators Integrated activation through Tribute Spotlights , embedded in Tribute Technology’s platform Centralized reporting on reach and performance tied to media placement The partnership reflects a growing shift in funeral service toward local media visibility, platform integration, and reclaiming control of community announcements . About Heritage Family Heritage Family is a national network of funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories dedicated to honoring life through personalized, community-centered service. The organization operates more than 130 locations across 11 states. About Tribute Technology Tribute Technology is a leading provider of software and digital solutions for funeral homes, helping firms streamline operations, support families, and deliver meaningful memorial experiences. Tribute Spotlights extends Tribute Technology’s platform into broader community and media distribution. About Chptr Chptr is a media and technology platform connecting funeral homes with local television stations and publishers to power modern death notices, service listings, and community announcements—restoring visibility, trust, and control to the firms that serve families every day. Media Contact Jenny Knizner Head of Growth, Chptr E: jenny@chptr.com
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