Obituary and Death Notice Phishing Scam on Facebook
Scammers monitor Facebook condolence posts and shared obituaries to identify grieving families, then send phishing messages posing as funeral homes, charities, or 'memorial page' verification services.
Part of: Obituary and Death Notice Phishing Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Facebook is the primary hunting ground for obituary phishing because death notices are routinely shared as posts, and grieving relatives leave public comments naming themselves, their relationship to the deceased, and sometimes their location. Scammers scrape this information within hours of a death notice going up and use it to craft convincing, personalized approaches.
How this scam works on Facebook
A scammer sees a funeral-home post or a family member's tribute status announcing a death, then creates a fake profile impersonating a 'family friend,' funeral director, or florist. They message commenters directly, referencing the deceased by name and offering a memorial video, flower arrangement, or 'online guestbook' link that actually leads to a credential-harvesting or malware page. In other cases, scammers comment on the public obituary post itself with a link to a fraudulent memorial fundraiser or a 'sign the digital guestbook' page that asks for name, address, and payment card details to 'personalize a keepsake.'
Because Facebook surfaces mutual friends and tagged family members, the scam message often looks like it comes from someone within the grieving circle, which lowers the recipient's guard exactly when they are least likely to scrutinize a link.
Common red flags
- A message or comment referencing the deceased arrives from an account with few mutual friends or a recently created profile
- A link to 'view the memorial video' or 'sign the guestbook' asks for login credentials before showing any content
- Requests to pay a small fee for a 'commemorative keepsake' or 'permanent memorial page'
- Poor grammar or generic phrasing in what claims to be a personal condolence message
- Urgency to click before a memorial page is 'taken down' or expires
- A comment thread on the obituary post that is quickly followed by private messages from unfamiliar accounts
How to protect yourself
- Set obituary or tribute posts to a limited audience rather than fully public when possible
- Never click links in condolence messages from accounts you do not personally recognize
- Verify any funeral home or charity outreach by calling the organization directly using a number from its official website
- Turn off public commenting on memorial posts if the platform allows it, or moderate comments actively
- Warn family members in the group chat or family thread not to click memorial links shared by strangers
- Report and block any account that messages you referencing the deceased with a suspicious link
How to report it
- Use Facebook's built-in report tool on the profile, comment, or message ('Report' > 'Scam or Fraud')
- Report phishing links to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at [email protected]
- File a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov if money or personal data was taken
- Alert the funeral home or family member being impersonated so they can warn other mourners
Frequently asked questions
Why do scammers specifically target Facebook obituary posts?
Facebook obituary and tribute posts are usually public or widely shared, and commenters openly identify themselves as grieving family or friends, giving scammers a ready-made list of emotionally vulnerable targets along with names and relationships they can reference to sound credible.
Is it safe to share an obituary on Facebook at all?
Yes, but consider limiting the audience to friends or a private group, disabling public comments, and asking family to avoid posting extra personal details like the deceased's full date of birth or home address in the comments.