OPINION: The Funeral Scam at Our Intersections Has Gone Too Far

ANTELOPE VALLEY, CA — There’s a special kind of anger that hits you when you realize someone is exploiting compassion. Lately, that anger has been bubbling up across the Antelope Valley as more drivers report the same scene at busy intersections: people holding hand‑made posters with the photo of a young child, claiming they’re collecting money for funeral expenses. They approach cars at red lights, weaving between bumpers with a story designed to punch you right in the heart.

And here’s the part that stings the most — it’s almost always a scam.

These “funeral donation” schemes aren’t new, but they’ve surged in visibility over the past few years. Law enforcement agencies across California have issued multiple warnings about individuals using photos of children — often pulled from social media or missing‑person flyers — to solicit cash from sympathetic drivers. In 2023, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department publicly confirmed that several such operations were fraudulent, noting that the same child’s photo had been spotted at intersections miles apart on the same day. Similar warnings have come from police departments in San Bernardino, Riverside, and Kern counties, all describing the same pattern: no legitimate funeral, no grieving family, just opportunists preying on kindness.

Nationally, the Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly flagged “fake funeral fundraising” as a growing category of street‑level fraud. In its 2024 consumer protection report, the FTC noted that donation scams — including fake funerals — accounted for millions in losses, with many cases involving emotional manipulation and fabricated tragedies. The agency specifically warns that scammers often use children’s images because they trigger immediate sympathy and urgency.

The solution isn’t complicated: stop giving money at intersections.

Locally, residents have been sharing their own experiences on community forums: the same faces rotating through different corners, the same poster boards, the same tragic story delivered with the same urgency. Some drivers have even reported seeing the supposed “grieving parent” laughing with associates between light cycles or switching out posters depending on the time of day. It’s a performance, and the intersection is their stage.

Let’s be clear: real families facing tragedy deserve support, and this kind of fraud makes it harder for them to get it. Every dollar handed to a scammer is a dollar that doesn’t reach a legitimate GoFundMe, a verified charity, or a community‑organized fundraiser. Worse, these schemes erode public trust. When people get burned enough times, they stop giving altogether — and the people who truly need help pay the price.

There’s also the safety issue. Approaching cars in traffic isn’t just illegal in many jurisdictions; it’s dangerous. Drivers are distracted, pedestrians are vulnerable, and the whole setup creates a chaotic environment where someone could get hurt. Cities like Palmdale and Lancaster have ordinances restricting solicitation in roadways for exactly this reason.

But the core of the frustration isn’t just legality or safety — it’s the moral rot of exploiting a child’s image to make a quick buck. It’s the way these scammers weaponize empathy, turning a community’s instinct to help into a revenue stream. It’s the knowledge that while residents are working hard to support real families in crisis, someone else is cashing in on a lie.

The solution isn’t complicated: stop giving money at intersections. If someone’s story is real, they’ll have verifiable ways to receive support. If you want to help families in need, donate through trusted channels — local nonprofits, vetted fundraisers, or community groups that can confirm where the money goes.

Compassion is one of the best things about this community. But compassion without caution is exactly what scammers count on. And frankly, we’ve let them count on it for too long.

by Richard Sykes

---

SUBSCRIBE