I-Team: Missing pre-arrangement money

AGAWAM, Mass. (WWLP) - In this economy lots of people are planning funeral arrangements ahead of time to save their family money when the inevitable happens, but the 22News I-Team discovered, state regulations don't always protect you if something happens to the money or the business you've entrusted money in.

Springfield's Voncell Grinstead wanted to buy caskets for her and two of her family members, so when the time came, it wasn't a financial burden for others.

She gave Manufacturers Discount Casket Outlet in Agawam thousands of dollars to secure the caskets.

"The money was to stay in the bank until I needed the casket," Grinstead said.

It appears, that's not what happened at all, in fact, she contacted the 22News I-Team after discovering her casket accounts were empty.

"I paid a little over $3,000 for these caskets and right now I know I have nothing, there's nothing there," Grinstead said.

The 22News I-Team first called the company over the phone.

We spoke with the owner Bob who explained to us that the bank they were holding the funds in closed, then the money was shuffled around to some other banks. He told us he's not sure where the money is now,  and his company has discontinued doing pre-need transactions because of that.

However, that doesn't solve the problem that at least two people, including Grinstead, are out thousands of dollars.

Bob eventually hung up on us, saying this is none of our business, so the I-Team went right to the casket outlet to get more answers.

We stopped by the business three times and all 3 times lights were off and no one could be tracked down.

After doing some research on the state laws, we discovered there are no organizations to police businesses like this.

Casket outlets aren't treated the same as licensed funeral homes and directors.

Jay Czelusniak, Owner of Czelusniak funeral home in Northampton explains.

"They don't have the regulations to make sure they're doing things properly. If they go out of business, then the family is out of luck because they can't get their money back and the casket is no longer going to be there," Czelusniak said.

Luckily, that didn't happen in this case.

After more than a year missing money, the 22News I-Team got results.

Just days after we got involved, a Casket Outlet employee contacted Grinstead.

She's been given her money back in full.

"I'm feeling, I'm wonderful! ecstatic, I owe it all to 22News, the I-Team. everyone has been working great with me," Grinstead said.

There were two local women experiencing a problem with this business, the other, not shown in the story, is meeting with the business Friday to talk about a payback.

A happy ending for them, but it may not always be that way.

To help you, Jay Czelusniak, Owner of Czelusniak funeral home in Northampton offered some tips to help protect you and your money when doing prearrangements.

1. When you make out the check, make it out to the trust company where the money will be held, rather than the owner of the company or the funeral director. (It eliminates the possibility that the money can be cashed and/or used for other purposes)

2. Have a contract, contact information and receipt for the trust company in which your money is being kept so you can track your own money, not rely on a business to do it for you.

3. Ask for their license! You can learn if the business or business owner is governed under state laws by looking up their license information.