Identity theft of a deceased person - sometimes called ghosting - is unfortunately pretty common. It usually takes several weeks for government agencies and financial institutions to be notified of an individual's death. In the case that one of your loved ones passes away, you'll want to ensure that their information still stays protected.
Most commonly, identity thieves will find personal information about a deceased individual through obituaries, death certificates, or even the Social Security Death Index (also called the Death Master File). The intent of these lists are for government entities, financial institutions, and insurance companies to compare records; however, in recent years, fraudsters have found a way to access these through genealogy research accounts (like Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org). As it takes some time for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to update the official Death Master File - up to 60 days in fact - identity thieves are often given a perfect timeline for their plan of attack.
When an individual passes away, the funeral director usually takes the responsibility of reporting the death to the SSA as part of their services, but this is not a hard-and-fast rule. So, the deceased's next-of-kin should ultimately reach out to the Social Security Administration to report the death as soon as possible. You can call 1-800-772-1213 to report a death or apply for survivors benefits.
In addition to alerting the Social Security Administration, you should also take the following steps:
Notify the Internal Revenue Service by sending an official copy of the death certificate along with the deceased's final tax return. You can find instructions from the IRS on how to do so by clicking HERE.
Notify all necessary financial institutions such as banks, credit card companies, loan holders, etc. They will help you close any accounts or transfer ownership. You will likely need an official death certificate for each institution.
Notify the three major credit reporting agencies - Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You should also request a copy of their credit report from each agency to ensure there are no new fraudulent inquires or accounts.
Keep all documents in a secure place. Most businesses will require official documentation to make changes on a deceased individual's account. Safeguard all documents and communications to ensure no suspicious individuals or companies have access to this information.
Carefully draft the obituary. Avoid including too much personally identifiable information in the obituary (like addresses, birthplace, relatives' names, etc) as this is what identity thieves will most commonly search for.
In the case that your loved one has passed and since become a victim of identity theft, you must be named the executor of the deceased’s estate or have some legal authority to act on their behalf in restoring their identity. As this is a highly sensitive matter, you'll also need proof, so be sure to have all relevant documentation on hand (such as death certificates, estate-related papers, and/or a last will and testament). Should you need assistance with the process of identity theft resolution for you or a loved one, please contact the Cyrus support team today.