Posting an Obituary Online: Pros and Cons

Online obituaries use modern technology to support the grieving process. There are many benefits to be gained by posting an obituary online, but there are also some negatives. This is a quick overview of the pros and cons of online obituaries.

Pros of Online Obituaries

One of the greatest benefits of an online obituary is that it can include a guest book that allows comments to be added. Family and friends can connect and share both their sorrow and their happy memories of the deceased. Writing about grief can be therapeutic and can contribute to the healing process.

On a website like Virtual Memories, an online obituary can be created that will serve as a lasting tribute to the deceased, describing their achievements and special qualities. Another benefit of an online obituary is that it can be used to get the word out about funeral arrangements or a memorial service.

Cons of Online Obituaries

Although an online obituary guest book has many positive aspects, there is also a downside to posting comments online. Expressing condolences in a public forum is less personal than a private letter or face-to-face meeting. There’s a risk that people will take the easy route by adding comments to an online guest book instead of communicating directly with the family of the deceased.

Another negative aspect of online obituaries is that personal information that’s included in an obituary can be used for fraudulent purposes. There have been cases where the name and birth date of a deceased person were used to obtain credit cards. There have also been cases of home robberies that occurred during a funeral or memorial service. Thieves obtain the home address of the deceased and the date of the service from the obituary.

Avoid online obituary scams by limiting the amount of personal information included in an obituary. For example, instead of the month, day and year of birth, include only the year. Visit MSN Money for additional information about obituary scams and the creation safe obituaries.

Catie W.
October 6, 2010