Peabody Man Allegedly Victimizes Widow In Scam

Story by Jason Claffey, Patch Staff

NASHUA, NH — A Peabody man posed as a funeral home worker in Chelmsford and scammed a widow paying for her husband's funeral, police said. Kenneth Psomos, 49, was charged with theft. He was released on $3,000 bail pending an arraignment.

The scam happened in December 2015, according to police in Nashua, New Hampshire.

"The victim ... misdialed the number for (a funeral home in Chelmsford) when she was making payment for the services," Nashua police Lieutenant Craig Allard said in a statement. "A male who was not associated with the funeral home answered the phone. The victim inquired if it was Dolan’s Funeral Home and the male responded that it was.

"The victim explained she had a payment to make and the male told her that he would have someone call the victim back. A male called the victim back and made arrangements to take payment from the victim at the Pheasant Lane Mall (in Nashua)."

Psomos met the woman at the mall and accepted a check that he instructed her to make out to a cleaning company he was associated with.

"The victim questioned this but eventually wrote the check and also gave cash to Psomos," Allard said.

Photo: Kenneth Psomos. (Credit: Nashua Police Department)