You need to guard your personal information both in life and in death because you never know when a scammer may use it.News 8 On Your Side consumer investigator Brian Roche found out how crooks could use your deceased family’s property as bait. “The house was quite a bargain. The price they were asking was a bargain,” said Andi Weikert, of Adams County.When Weikert saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace for a 1,500-square-foot house for a little more than $800 a month, she jumped on it.”The owner claimed that he had accepted a contracting job in Phoenix, Arizona,” she said.But when Weikert asked to see the inside of the home, the response from the supposed homeowner struck her as odd.”The only way you can view it is if you send us the money, and then we would send you the keys to the house along with the rental contract,” she said.Weikert was starting to lose her patience with this process, so she Googled the name of the man claiming to be renting the house.”I was shocked because my first four or five hits on the computer were obituaries of a local gentleman with the same name,” she said.His name was Jeffrey L. Besore, of Shippensburg, who died earlier this year. He did own the property that was being advertised for rent. That property is currently listed for sale.”When I read this gentleman’s obituary, it was glaring to me that his date of birth was listed in the obituary as well as his actual date of death,” Weikert said. Combining the man’s date of death and a search for his address may have allowed a scammer to realize that they would not get much pushback for using the home as bait in a rental scam.News 8 contacted Jeffrey Besore’s family, and they didn’t know the home was being advertised for rent.We also checked with state regulators and the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association.There are no guidelines when it comes to listing dates of birth and death in obituaries, which are often written by family members.”I think this should be a loud warning to not only the funeral directors but the family members as well,” Weikert said.Again, there are no laws or regulations on what you can or cannot put in an obituary.But common sense would dictate the more information a family reveals in an obituary, the more helpful that is for a scammer.Even after death, someone’s personal information could be used to commit identity theft.
You need to guard your personal information both in life and in death because you never know when a scammer may use it.News 8 On Your Side consumer investigator Brian Roche found out how crooks could use your deceased family’s property as bait.
Advertisement
“The house was quite a bargain. The price they were asking was a bargain,” said Andi Weikert, of Adams County.When Weikert saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace for a 1,500-square-foot house for a little more than $800 a month, she jumped on it.”The owner claimed that he had accepted a contracting job in Phoenix, Arizona,” she said.But when Weikert asked to see the inside of the home, the response from the supposed homeowner struck her as odd.
“The only way you can view it is if you send us the money, and then we would send you the keys to the house along with the rental contract,” she said.
Weikert was starting to lose her patience with this process, so she Googled the name of the man claiming to be renting the house.”I was shocked because my first four or five hits on the computer were obituaries of a local gentleman with the same name,” she said.His name was Jeffrey L. Besore, of Shippensburg, who died earlier this year. He did own the property that was being advertised for rent. That property is currently listed for sale.”When I read this gentleman’s obituary, it was glaring to me that his date of birth was listed in the obituary as well as his actual date of death,” Weikert said. Combining the man’s date of death and a search for his address may have allowed a scammer to realize that they would not get much pushback for using the home as bait in a rental scam.News 8 contacted Jeffrey Besore’s family, and they didn’t know the home was being advertised for rent.We also checked with state regulators and the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association.There are no guidelines when it comes to listing dates of birth and death in obituaries, which are often written by family members.”I think this should be a loud warning to not only the funeral directors but the family members as well,” Weikert said.Again, there are no laws or regulations on what you can or cannot put in an obituary.But common sense would dictate the more information a family reveals in an obituary, the more helpful that is for a scammer.Even after death, someone’s personal information could be used to commit identity theft.
See the full Home Prices article, or, read more Arizona real estate investing news. Go ahead. You know you want to.
