A new scam is preying on people who haveA lost loved ones to COVID-19.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency this month launched a proAgram to pay up to $9,000 for funeral expenses.

Survivors need to show receipts and a death certificate that says that the death happened in the United States and probably was caused by COVID-19.

Scammers posing as government employees are offering to help but will take information and pocket the assistance, according to the Kansas attorney general’s office, which offers these tips:

• The government won’t ask survivors to pay anything when applyiAng.
• FEMA will not contact a survivor unless he or she already has contacted FEMA.
• The government won’t call, text, email, or contact survivors on social media to ask for your Social Security numbers, bank accounts, or credit card numbers.
• Anyone who contacts a survivor out of the blue about the funeral assistance program is a scammer.

Details of the legitimate program are at https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance.