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When a loved one dies it is one of the most devastating times in a person's life. In the midst of a family's grieving, decisions must be made about funeral and related services. Many Americans are understandably unprepared to make the major and immediate financial decisions necessary after a loved one's death.
Knowing this, some funeral operators may attempt to take advantage of you in your time of grief.
While many funeral services are offered with the utmost care and dignity, the funeral business, an $11 billion-a-year industry, seeks to maximize its profits. This means you may encounter providers who are less than honest and perhaps even fraudulent.
Funeral services are often the third largest purchase Americans make in their lives, after the purchase of a home and vehicle. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the average cost of a funeral is $6,500, not including the expense of burial.
Due to the vulnerability of consumers at the time of a loved one's death, the Federal Trade Commission has instituted the Funeral Rule.
The FTC Funeral Rule
The FTC's Funeral Rule requires that funeral service providers give consumers an itemized list of prices in person. This list may also be provided over the phone upon the consumer's request.
This law also protects consumers from unscrupulous providers who overcharge, inflate prices, double charge, and charge for unnecessary services.
Under the funeral rule, sellers are expressly prohibited from making six misrepresentations to consumers.
Protecting Yourself from Fraud
Though uncomfortable, experts with the Funeral Consumers Alliance, a group that aims to educate the public, say that researching funeral services before a loved one's death is one of the best ways to protect yourself.
Since this is not always possible, consumer advocates also recommend that a grieving person bring along a friend who can be more objective and help ask the necessary questions.
If you feel you have been ripped off by a funeral service provider and wish to learn more about your legal rights and options, please contact us to speak with a qualified and experienced attorney who can answer your questions.
Consumer fraud class action lawsuits are specifically designed to help individuals who have been similarly aggrieved to pursue a common goal – namely to hold the deceptive business accountable for any damages suffered. Thus, consumers who have been defrauded by a corporation or other entity may file a consumer fraud class action lawsuit on behalf of themselves and others to seek compensation for their shared grievance.
If you feel you have been the victim of consumer fraud or any type of fraud, please contact us to learn about your legal rights and options. WE VALUE YOUR PRIVACY: any information you provide on this secure form will be held in the strictest confidence and will only be used by our attorneys to determine how we can help you.