Chattooga County Coroner Warns Families About Funeral Home Impersonation Scam

The Chattooga County Coroner’s Office is warning residents about a scam targeting grieving families following the death of a loved one.

In a public alert, Coroner Jeremy A. McElhaney said scammers are posing as funeral home employees after monitoring online obituaries. The scammers then contact family members and demand immediate payment, falsely claiming to represent the funeral home handling funeral arrangements.

McElhaney urged anyone receiving such a call not to provide any personal or financial information. Instead, he advises families to hang up and contact their funeral home directly using a trusted phone number to verify whether the call is legitimate.

“I personally know the owner/operators of all three Chattooga County funeral homes and can assure you that is not the way they conduct business,” McElhaney said.

Residents are encouraged to share the warning to help prevent others from becoming victims of the scam.

Canton Man Booked in Floyd County on Theft by Deception, Elder Exploitation Charges

A Canton man was booked into the Floyd County Jail on Tuesday on charges of theft by deception and exploitation of the elderly.

According to arrest warrants, 35-year-old Quinton Antonio Wood Sr. contacted a Rome man over the age of 65 on January 26 and told him his bank account had been compromised.

Investigators say Wood instructed the victim to withdraw money for “safekeeping,” then later showed up at the victim’s residence, claiming to be acting in an official capacity, and accepted $9,000 in cash.

The victim was later able to identify Wood in a photo lineup, leading to the warrants and arrest.

The case remains under investigation.

Walker County Residents Warned About Jury Duty Phone Scam

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Residents in Walker County are being warned about a phone scam involving callers who falsely claim someone has missed a court date or failed to report for jury duty.

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