Fake Rob Burrow funeral accounts set up by scammers to trick innocent victims

Sick internet ghouls are creating fake Rob Burrow funeral accounts to trick people into sharing their social media details. The scam artists hope people will click on the fake links in the belief they will have access to the MND hero’s memorial service.

Scammers create and distribute these links and try to trick users into clicking. Once users get to their sites, they can be exposed to malicious software, viruses, and other dangerous content.

Dangerous links also lead social media users to dangerous sites and put your data, your computer, tablet or mobile phone, and your network in harm's way.

Rob’s sister Joanne Hartshorne was devastated to be sent one vile request asking her to Watch Rob Burrow’s funeral live.

Tagging Rob’s widow Lindsey and her sister Claire into a post, she wrote on Facebook: “Do NOT accept this request. Fake account. Can everyone please report this.”

Minutes later, she posted: “Another scam!” screenshotting a special page created using the Burrow family’s emotional statement announcing Rob’s death at the age of 41 on Sunday.

The attacks have caused further sorrow for the heartbroken family as they come to terms with the death of the former Leeds Rhinos ace after a four-and-a-half-year battle with the deliberating disease.

On Tuesday evening widow Lindsey, 41, who he had been with since the age of 14, took their three children to lay their own flowers amongst a the sea of floral tributes being left outside the Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium by thousands of well-wishers.

Five-year-old son Jackson asked in wonder “are these all for Daddy?” as he approached the flowers with sister’s Macy, 12, and Maya, nine.

Lindsey was unable to hold back her tears as she and her children approached the huge collection of flowers, scarves and other tributes.

The lovely messages left all included similar words such as inspiration, legend, toughest and hero.

Physiotherapist Lindsey spent time reading many of the notes and talking to people as she hugged her children.

In a statement released on Monday, Lindsey said her family was “deeply saddened by the loss of our devoted husband and father” but remains “incredibly proud” of Rob and vowed to continue to keep his “legacy alive”.

Just two years after his retirement in 2017, Rob was diagnosed with MND after visiting doctors with a “slight concern” that his speech had become slurred.

He was told he may only survive 12 months but vowed to fight the disease and began a tireless fundraising campaign to raise awareness of the disease and to improve care and research.

He spearheaded a £6.8million charity appeal for Leeds Hospitals Charity to build a specialist Motor Neurone Disease complex, which began being built on Monday.

Alongside best friend Kevin Sinfield, who played with Rob at Leeds Rhinos, they raised more than £15million to raise awareness and improve research into finding a cure.

He was made an MBE in the 2021 New Year’s Honours list for services to rugby and the MND community and was promoted to a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours.