Professional mourners, also called moirologists and mutes, are compensated to lament or deliver a eulogy and help comfort and entertain the grieving family.

Professional mourning is not a new job. In many cultures it has been around for thousands of years. It dates back to China’s Emperor Wu of Han in 100 BC. People were also paid to mourn in ancient Greece and Rome.

Essentially, professional mourners are grief stricken actors who work in a very specific niche – mourning at funerals. The family or friends of the deceased seek out the services of a professional mourner for a variety of reasons. Typically they want to increase the appearance of the deceased’s popularity. This mourner attends the service and weeps and wails as necessary.

After the service, they are paid to mingle with funeral participants and share stories about the deceased. Professional mourners must be professional and discrete and not reveal they are getting paid to shed tears. At an appropriate time, the professional mourner slips away with the grieving guests none the wiser.

A common ritual in modern day China involves the family paying the mourners in advance and bringing them in lavish style to the place the funeral will take place.

In the United Kingdom, a company called "Rent A Mourner" (now defunct) enabled families to increase the number of guests at a funeral by hiring actors to play a role. They were paid somewhere between $30 - $120 per event.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org