My mother just passed on February 14, 2016. We need $4700, and we don't have it. Where can we find help?

They take credit cards..

Is the $4700 for the funeral? I don't understand the issue with Lincoln Heritage or the two years. Could you explain more please?

It is life insurance for the burial. Many companies won't cover for 2 years if a person dies of natural causes. Many people find themselves in this situation when they take out one of the policies. These companies usually advertise themselves as covering someone up to a late age, with no questions about health. Many people don't realize that the company grants itself a 2-year grace period. For the first two years they will only pay in the event of accidental death or homicide.

Sister, what you may want to do is look around for the best price on cremation services. Some cremattions will cost less than $1000 and you could have a service at your church. It is a difficult situation if you don't have the money. I don't know where you could get it on such short notice unless the community pulled together. Occasionally a funeral home will donate services. I am so sorry to read about your mother and sorry you are facing this on top of losing her.

Most companies have a 2-year waiting period before full benefits are paid - before that, they will only give you the amount of the premiums you paid in the period the policy was in effect.

I'm sorry for your loss - I hope you are able to find a solution.

If you simply can’t come up with the money to pay for cremation or burial costs, you can sign a release form with your county coroner’s office that says you can’t afford to bury the family member. If you sign the release, the county and state will pitch in to either bury or cremate the body. The county may also offer you the option to claim the ashes for a fee. But if these also go unclaimed, they will bury the ashes in a common grave alongside other unclaimed ashes.

I found this on a website and it isn't ideal I know but it would help if in absolute need

This exact spam was tried last year, sorry, won't help. No soliciting on AC.

You didn't say whether the $4,700 is for the funeral alone, or for the funeral and burial. If, at the time of her death, your mother was married to, or was the widow of a U.S. military veteran, she would be entitled to be buried in a national cemetery. If that is the case, search online for VA veterans' death benefits. Some of the answers here have information on different ways you may deal with the funeral expenses.

Send, do you remember if the scammer last year used the same screen name? I wondered at first too whether this was an attempt to hit on posters here for donations. I guess it is.

It's funny to be hitting on the poorest of the poor folk -- the family caregivers.

Garden Artist, there have been so many scammers come on AC soliciting for money, that I don't remember their names. It is sad that they waste their time, believing some overburdened soft-hearted caregiver is going to give them money. They do not read the AC rules and guidelines, re: no soliciting; do not give out contact info.

A scammer can be identified readily because:
1) The plea has a sentimental date, re: the date
2) The scammer alludes that the problem was unavoidable
3) That it was caused by (the insurance company ) victimizing them
4) The plea has an urgency with need it by date.
5) The person needing help implies they are in a ministry, faith-based in a way to play on people's sympathies, i.e.: Sister.
6) Other identifiable m.o. too numerous to mention., such as Nigerian scammers.

I recall, before AC Administration removed the last one, we were admonished for accusing the OP, put to shame if you will by the, OP's denial.

Surely, the OP has no shame to ask strangers for money, and is certainly not a 501C-3 non-profit operating in the U.S. If anyone actually wants to send this poor person money (most needy people need money for food) be sure to demand their social security number so as to provide them with a 1099 form to report the income to the IRS, end of tax year.

I feel so heartless

Is this where we use the term why don't you go on holiday and make love? That's the polite version

I didn't see any contact info to send money, but perhaps that was removed?
I have to agree with the skepticism though, surely any funeral home would be able to direct a family on who to contact in this situation, they aren't going to just put the remains on the curb after all.

Write to Donald Trump, he is a billionaire!!! LOL

We are currently in the process of planning a funeral for my brother-in-law. Here are some options: 1 - if you don't claim the body, the state will bury them. 2- cremation - around $700-$1000. 3 - read your laws on what is required. My state doesn't require a fancy casket, vault, embalming etc but funeral home gardens do. Put her in a box and bury her on private property.

Cwillie, that info would have come next. Where do we send the money?

7) And the Op, or drive-by never returns.

Recognized that one as soon as I read the post

Veronica, And we all know you are not too cynical, just very wise. True.

Ha.. That's why I made credit card comment..

"Move along people nothing to see here"..

Next time play along, get them to post where to send the $ then report to the authorities.

I like Ashlynne's suggestion. Play along, get more information, then report them. Just keep the contact through the forum and don't give out any personal e-mail addresses.

It really irks me that people try to hit on others who are often in compromised situations themselves.

I was reminded of the fact that some of the alleged itinerant people aren't so poor as they pretend. I saw a panhandler on the corner of a street the other day, using a smartphone. I can't even afford a smartphone. Maybe I should take up panhandling to supplement SS?

Thank you, all who wrote about prevalent online scams. Being a New York City native, I've always thought I was alert to scams, but the warnings here make sense to me. However, all I wasted was my time spent responding.

Sings a line from a fave song ......Im a native new Yorker

Glad to hear about experienced bloggers here! I had bought the whole story. Mmmmppppffffff ggggggrrrrrrrrr! M88. :^(