10/24/2026
A long read but very important:
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and military officials are warning Veterans' families about a fraudulent military funeral honors scam targeting families shortly after the death of a Veteran.
On September 25, 2026, Stars and Stripes reported on a warning from the Army Casualty Assistance Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, concerning scammers targeting families during the funeral-planning process for deceased Veterans. The report said funeral homes had received reports of families being contacted by individuals who allegedly posed as military personnel, honor guard members, or government officials.
According to the report, the callers falsely claimed that families needed to make a payment in connection with military funeral honors. One reported incident involved a demand for $1,500 through Apple Pay or Zelle, with the caller allegedly describing the payment as a refundable insurance policy and threatening cancellation of the military honors if payment was not made.
The Army Casualty Assistance Center emphasized that military funeral honors are provided at no cost to the family.
The Fort Bragg Casualty Assistance Center's official information confirms that it coordinates military funeral honors and identifies a two-person detail for eligible Veterans, including Taps and the folding and presentation of the flag.
This is a recently reported scam and warning and we are advising survivors that legitimate military funeral honors do not require payment.
Military funeral honors generally include, at a minimum:
• A two-person uniformed military detail;
• Folding and presentation of the United States flag; and
• The playing of Taps.
Families should never be asked to pay a fee, deposit, insurance premium, or other charge to receive military funeral honors.
Funeral homes coordinate requests for military funeral honors with the appropriate military service or veterans organization. Families should work directly with their funeral director regarding arrangements and should be cautious of unsolicited calls from individuals claiming to represent the military.
Warning Signs of the Scam
• Demands payment for military funeral honors;
• Claims that a fee, deposit, or insurance policy is required;
• Threatens to cancel military funeral honors unless immediate payment is made;
• Requests payment through Zelle, Apple Pay, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or other difficult-to-recover methods;
• Requests banking or credit-card information;
• Uses an official-sounding military title or claims to be calling from the Department of Defense, a military installation, VA, or an honor guard organization; or
• Pressures the family to act immediately without allowing them to verify the information through the funeral home or an official government source.
A request for money in exchange for military funeral honors is a major warning sign of fraud.
What Families Should Do
If a family receives a suspicious call or message:
1. Do not send money.
2. Do not provide bank-account, credit-card, Social Security, or other sensitive information.
3. Do not use a telephone number or payment method provided by the caller to verify the request.
4. Contact the funeral home directly using its established telephone number and ask whether there is an issue with the military honors request.
5. If necessary, contact the appropriate military funeral honors coordinator through an independently verified government contact.
6. Preserve any voicemails, text messages, emails, caller information, payment requests, or other documentation associated with the suspected scam.
7. Report suspected fraud to the appropriate authorities.
Suspected scams can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.gov and to VA through VSAFE at 1-833-38V-SAFE (1-833-387-7233).
