64 THE QUEENS COURIER • COPING WITH DEATH • MARCH 6, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com coping with death s Avoid being the victim of crime during grief BY RANA HUBER In the obituary columns of most newspapers information such as name and community of surviving members, times and locations of the funeral arrangements are listed. That practice, although helpful to the reader, sometimes creates additional vulnerability for family members. Criminals often target families who have recently lost a loved one. Here are some helpful tips from the New York State Funeral Directors Association and the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police about stopping them: • Ask a trusted friend to stay at home during times you will be attending funeral events. If no one is available, consider asking one of your neighbors. In many cases they are looking for something that they can do to help you during this time. • Set your interior lights to operate on a timer. You may also want to leave a radio or television playing just loud enough to be heard from outside your home. • Leave your car parked in the driveway and ride with someone to the funeral events. • Do not stop mail or newspaper deliveries. Ask a neighbor to gather the mail in your absence. • Telephone answering machines can become effective crime prevention tools. Use it to screen your calls. Pick up the phone after you recognize the caller’s voice. If you are a female living alone, consider having a male voice record your message. A dog barking in the background of the recorded message may also be an effective deterrent. Use “WE” instead of “I” on your recorded message. Avoid telling the caller you are not home now. That enhances the chance of your home being entered. Be careful not to become too trusting of strangers. There are countless cases where confi dence scams and swindles are perpetuated against trusting people during these emotional times. One of the most effective crime prevention techniques involves “slowing the process” down. Asking specifi c questions and having another family member or friend involved in decision making is essential. • Never provide personal information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, etc., to anyone calling on the telephone, via the Internet or through unsolicited mail. • Never pay bills on behalf of the deceased unless you can verify the transaction actually took place. Bogus invoices are often sent to the home of the deceased assuming that the estate will simply write a check. • Never answer questions from strangers calling on the telephone claiming to be doing genealogy research or verifying information printed on a birth or death certifi cate. Identity thieves can use this to perpetrate crimes. • Never allow home improvement contractors into your home to begin a project that they claim was contracted/initiated by your loved one prior to their death. •Never open your home to coin/stamp collectors or estate sales representatives offering to do a free appraisal of the deceased’s valuables. Reputable businesses will never “cold call” prospective clients during these times. Rana Huber oversees publications for the New York State Funeral Directors Association, Inc. She is also a regular contributor to the popular blog, www. sympathynotes.org, written to stimulate discussion about death and grieving for both consumers and funeral directors. For more tips about dealing with grief, visit www.nysfda.org. MEMORIALS BY PARKSIDE Your Expression, Our Creativity • Footstones • Inscriptions • Monuments • Restorations • Mausoleums • Pre-planning A monument is the opportunity to perpetuate your memories of an especially loved and revered family member or friend. Memorial art is our way of helping you to express that memory. The monument you select will be a personalized illustration of your tribute. SHOWROOMS: For Information or to Make an Appointment Call Our Monument Consultants want to learn about you and your family. With their vast experience helping families, they will create a highly personalized memorial or headstone that is a true reflection of a life well lived. Understanding your family will help us assist you in designing a lasting and unique tribute to your loved one. When you work with PARKSIDE to create your family memorial, you can expect the highest quality granite and superior craftsmanship. We stand behind our memorials with a perpetual warranty that guarantees that your family’s memorial will last into the future. There is both sorrow and joy experienced while selecting a monument. You will experience sadness as fond memories emerge and happiness in being able to commemorate a life of blessing and hope. 98-60 Queens Boulevard Rego Park, New York 11374 2576 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11234 www.memorialsbyparkside.com 718-896-9100 Papavero Funeral Home Family Owned and Operated for 5 Generations • Newly Renovated Facilities on One Level • Handicap Accessible – Ample Parking • In-Chapel DVD Video Tributes with Plasma Displays • Cremation and Direct Burial Services • Guidance with Pre-Planned Funeral Arrangements • 24-Hour a day Personal Service • Resource Center with Information about Coping with Grief and Explaining Death to Children Joseph B. Papavero Kevin Papavero Joseph A. Papavero Bart Papavero 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, New York 11378 Tel: (718)651-3535 | Fax: (718)651-7312 www.papaverofuneralhome.com
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