Residents warned about phony funeral scam

Friday, Sept. 24, 2004 | 11:32 a.m.

Metro Police are warning residents of a scam that has been operating in northeast Las Vegas. It involves a man posing as a neighbor and asking for money for funeral expenses of a relative.

Lt. Steve Franks said the suspects have been targeting residents around Lake Mead Boulevard and Pecos Road as well as Stewart Avenue and Lamb Boulevard.

Two men pull up in a car and one will knock on doors claiming to be a neighbor from down the street. During the brief conversations he has told people that he works as a trash collector, Franks said.

The suspect will appear distressed and explain that his wife or another relative has died and he needs money to arrange transportation for another out-of-state family member, he said.

In several instances, the suspect convinced the victims to drive to an ATM. Recently the suspects forced an elderly victim to drive them to several other locations to get money from other victims.

One suspect, Keith Lee, 43, has been arrested. It's not clear how many others are involved or how many times they have struck.

Police released descriptions of two other suspects. Both are black men with stocky builds. One is 35 to 40 years old and has short black hair. The other has a moustache and salt and pepper hair.

Witnesses have told police that the vehicle used by the suspects was a white, older model four-door sedan, posssibly a Cadillac. Police do not have a license plate number.

Police are advising the public not to open their doors to strangers. Anyone who is approached by these suspects is asked to call 911.