What to do if…
you receive a request to transfer a loved one’s remains and are unsure it is legitimate

What to do now

1. Create a safe pause. Say: “I am not authorizing anything right now. I will call back through official contact information.” Then end the call or stop replying.
2. Write down the request. Record the person’s name, business name, phone number, email address, claimed location, what they want moved, the destination, the cost, any deadline, and exactly what they are asking you to sign or pay.
3. Confirm who has custody.
   • If the death happened in a hospital or care facility, call the main number from the facility’s official website and ask for the morgue, decedent affairs, patient affairs, or the department that handles deceased patients.
   • If a medical examiner or coroner may be involved, call the county office through the county’s official website.
   • If you already chose a funeral home, call that funeral home using the number you already had or found independently.
4. Ask the custodian direct questions.
   • “Do you currently have my loved one’s remains?”
   • “Has anyone requested a transfer, release, cremation, shipment, or pickup?”
   • “Which funeral home or transport service is named on the request?”
   • “What authorization is on file, and who gave it?”
5. Verify any funeral home or transport business before signing.
   • Ask for the business’s full legal name, physical address, state license number if applicable, and the name of the individual handling the request.
   • Check the business through your state funeral licensing authority or a recognized license lookup. If you cannot confirm it, treat the request as unverified.
   • Call the state board directly from its official website if the lookup is confusing or the business says licensing is handled under another name.
6. Ask what documents and charges are actually required.
   • Ask the current custodian or the funeral home you chose: “What documents are required here for transfer or transport, and who normally files them?”
   • Before paying, ask for itemized written charges and confirm the provider through a trusted route.
   • Requirements can vary by state, county, destination, and whether the remains are a body or cremated remains.
7. If the request involves bringing remains into the United States, slow down further. If the person died outside the United States, work through the U.S. embassy or consulate, your chosen funeral home, and official import guidance before paying or signing. Documents may include a death certificate, consular or local paperwork, transport paperwork, packaging requirements, and, in some situations, public-health permits.
8. If money or personal information has already been sent, limit harm now.
   • Contact your bank, card issuer, or payment provider using the number on your card or account app and ask what can be stopped, reversed, disputed, or monitored.
   • Change the password for the email account used for death-related messages and turn on two-factor authentication.
   • If you sent identity documents or a Social Security number, use the official identity-theft recovery route and consider fraud alerts or a credit freeze.
9. Report suspicious contact. Report the contact to the Federal Trade Commission. If someone is trying to collect remains, documents, cash, or valuables right now, or if threats are being made, contact local law enforcement.