Christian cross[/caption]Gordon Matilla----Crimes against the elderly, the disabled, the homeless, and the poor are particularly troublesome, as these are the individuals who are the most vulnerable. The inhumanity of preying on the helpless is particularly poignant in many cases, as observed the Federal Bureau of Investigation that investigates and prosecutes many of those involved in schemes to take money from people who have little.
One of the worst schemes involves pre-paid funeral arrangements. In fact investment advisors sometimes counsel people as part of their protection of assets, to prepay funeral expenses, so the burden does not fall upon the surviving family members. So there are those who know that many people are concerned about the welfare of their loved ones, or who worry they may not have the money to take care of the expenses of death, so they prey upon the most vulnerable of these people.
A scam involving pre-arranged funerals was recently cited in the FBI News. James “Doug” Cassity and his Missouri-based company called National Prearranged Services Inc. (NPS from 1992 until 2008, and those other defendants employed by his company as well as affiliated life insurance companies, ran a scheme to defraud some of these people who had purchased prearranged funeral plans. Not only individuals were victimized by some of the funeral homes that had been doing business with NPS. They would tell customers they were putting money into a trust to take care of the expenses, but instead they pocketed the money.
Funerals can be expensive, with the average cost between $7000 and $10,000. That's why many people prepay funeral arrangements. But there are other ways, as well as legitimate programs for making arrangements for death, that help save money on funerals. These include shopping for a funeral home and comparing prices, not using a funeral home for the services but the preparation of the body, shop for the casket as well, as that pine box has been updated and improved, which can reduce the costs of burial. A minister may or may not charge for the religious portion of the service. There are members of religious organizations who will provide this at no charge, and some ministers who will do so as well. And then there is, of course, cremation.
In any case, it pays to check thoroughly all references, experience, and those specifically involved in a preplanned funeral arrangement, as the scammers discussed earlier in this report bilked many thousands of people in 16 states. Knowing what to ask , and the pitfalls, and how to reduce costs in the first place can prevent being scammed and having the money to bury a loved one--or yourself.
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