Phantom
Member
- Location
- NE Victoria Australia
Private service at funeral home Followed by private cremation
I know a retired attorney who made a really good living representing funeral homes. The only fraud bigger than them is medical billing.
He explained it this way: People are sold an expensive coffin, it looks really pretty at the graveside service, then everybody leaves.
Later, the deceased is moved - to a much-cheaper coffin & the pricey one is put back in the showroom & sold again & again. Well....who's gonna know....it's pretty rare for a body to be exhumed.
Doesn't matter if mourners drop a shovel of dirt over it. Obviously, they make the switch after everyone leaves. Even if mourners stay until the coffin is completely buried, they simply bring the tractor back. If necessary, they'll wait until the place closes. Only 1 or 2 people have to know about it & even if they're caught, the fine is much smaller than the profit.I've rarely been to a graveside service where the coffin wasn't placed in a vault, lowered into the ground, and had mourners each drop a shovel of dirt over it.
Not saying the your attorney friend's story hasn't happened, but it's likely to be exceedingly rare. They'd have to have several people in on the secret -and when more than one person knows something, it's not a secret anymore...
Wait a minute.Doesn't matter if mourners drop a shovel of dirt over it. Obviously, they make the switch after everyone leaves. Even if mourners stay until the coffin is completely buried, they simply bring the tractor back. If necessary, they'll wait until the place closes. Only 1 or 2 people have to know about it & even if they're caught, the fine is much smaller than the profit.
And, it's not rare.
So sorry for your loss StarSong!My beloved father-in-law passed a few days ago. He wanted to be buried and owned a plot so we are, of course, honoring his wishes.
$7000 for a moderate casket, the required-by-law concrete vault, and minimum services like transport to the cemetery, hearse and interment (no viewing, embalming, mortuary room, service or officiant). We are handling the graveside service. His headstone will undoubtedly run another $1500 - $2000.
The cost of burying someone is beyond ridiculous. He left ample assets to cover this, but that chunk of change would be a big burden on families that aren't as fortunate.