Scams

Many of you will be aware of the "Nigerian" scam whereby a relative/government official contacts you by email with regard to the repatriation and/or  funeral service for a loved one. Usually these emails are badly written with poor spelling and grammar. They may offer to pay up front by credit card - this will almost certainly be a stolen card. Do not respond to this email. Forward it as an attachment (to preserve header information) to your local Police and to scams@fraudwatchinternational.com.

We have also been made aware of another Scam doing the rounds.
Basically, you receive a page which looks as though it has been torn out of a magazine, giving details of an alleged company offering grants for your business.  On the torn page there is a post-it note referring usually to your Christian name (therefore seeming personalized) exclaiming, phone 0800 072 1796...this is brilliant.  http://www.govprogrammesweb.co.uk/contact.html  - their web page.
After calling the number you are encouraged to buy a directory/manual costing a substantial amount of £££££ detailing grants you may be able to claim for your business. 
If your application for a business grant isn't successful they advise your payment will be refunded.
We advise NOT to contact them or send money.  If you are genuinely interested in business grants there are websites that search for grants FREE. i.e. www.businesslink.gov.uk.
It is also a good idea to contact your local Trading Standards office and also report any suspicious mailings to scams@fraudwatchinternational.com.
If you google the telephone number you will get more info. 
There is another side to this type of scam, when you dial the number you get transferred to a high rate premium number, costing hundreds of pounds !!

A new version of an old scam seems to have surfaced recently. Basically a publisher’s representative contacts you by telephone offering to advertise your business in specialist ‘Health & Safety’ or ‘Emergency Service’ magazine or wallchart, which are allegedly distributed to doctors’ surgeries etc. The next stage is that you receive a ‘proof’, together with an invoice stating that you agreed to the contract in the telephone call. This may then be followed continuously with several other ‘proofs’ from similar publications. The bill can run in to hundreds or even thousands of pounds. It appears quite likely that the actual publications do not even exist. It is very difficult to cancel the contracts once you start. If in any doubt then try Googling the “company/publication name + scam”, or if you are a SAIF member, simply give us a call and we’ll check it out for you. In any event don’t agree to anything or part with any money until you have checked it out thoroughly.

Rogue Traders

A CAUTION – internet funeral provider.
SAIF members have contacted SAIF regarding funeral service providers who promote funeral packages on the internet.
Funeral Directors should be cautious when dealing with intermediary business’ that are unfamiliar to them. Regrettably there have been instances throughout the country where a certain internet funeral service provider, after requesting services from a Funeral Director in the locality, has failed to pay the price agreed to that Funeral Director.
It is difficult refusing offers to assist those within your community, and of course reputation is always a consideration.  However, please bear in mind that an unknown intermediary may leave you ‘out of pocket’ and therefore it may be prudent to request payment before services are rendered and ensuring monies are received into your account beforehand.

Small Print

Not a scam in itself but a cause for concern that may cost the unwary funeral director a lot more money than they bargained for:-
The funeral director enters in to a two year contract to advertise his or her business in doctors' surgeries etc. Hidden in the small print is a clause specifying that the contract will be automatically renewed at the end of the two years, unless 12 months notice is given. Therefore the funeral director finds himself liable for another twelve months subscriptionat the end of the two years, costing hundreds of pounds, that he may not want or indeed find beneficial to his business.
We urge all funeral directors to thoroughly read and understand all small print before signing any such contracts.