PORTLAND, Maine — A national scam affecting funeral homes has now made its way to Maine, posing as home directors and asking grieving families for payments.
One funeral home that was hit is Chad E. Poitras Cremation & Funeral Service out of Buxton. Director Chad Poitras said he heard of the scam only when he was informed by a client of his.
The client, who asked to remain anonymous, said she received a call after a family member had passed away from someone who claimed to be Poitras.
"He said, 'Hi this is Chad,' and I had only talked to him a couple of times on the phone so I was trying to put the name to the face," the client said.
She then realized the voice on the phone did not sound like Poitras, hung up, and informed the funeral home.
"I'm thinking, 'How could anybody stoop so low?'" the client said.
According to the Maine Funeral Directors Association, the new scam has affected a handful of funeral homes in the state, from Presque Isle to the greater Portland area.
"Our association is advising all of our members to be aware of this," MFDA President Adam Walker said. "We tell families that we would never call asking for funds, we ask a family that if they do receive a call like this to call us immediately."
According to the Office of the Maine Attorney General, if you receive a call asking for personal information or immediate payments, especially through payment apps such as Venmo, you may be caught in a scam.
Walker said being aware and reporting any suspicious calls is the best defense if you are caught in a scam.
"It also forces you to recognize that nothing is off limits any longer to scammers," Walker said.