Four Steps to Preventing Identity Theft of the Dead

Identity theft is a nightmare to deal with no matter when it happens, but add it to the list of things to handle when you’re grieving the loss of a loved one? It can be devastating. It’s an unfortunate reality that scammers are getting more and more creative when it comes to stealing someone’s identity. Some target the deceased because of the likelihood that their accounts will be unmonitored, while others buy randomly-generated social security numbers and they just happen to belong to someone who is deceased. During tax season, some scammers will even file fraudulent tax returns and pocket their refunds from the IRS.

If you are the executor of your loved one’s estate, there are a few steps you can take to prevent the headache of identity theft.

1. Make sure the Social Security Administration has been notified.

Most funeral homes will take care of this step for you, but some do not. In the event that you need to notify the SSA of someone’s passing, call 1-800-772-1213.

2. Notify credit bureaus

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the three major credit reporting agencies. While they could be notified in a couple of different ways (including by the SSA or by the other credit bureaus), you may need to mail a copy of the death certificate in order to block anyone from applying for a new line of credit under your loved one’s name.

3. Notify the DMV

In order to prevent anyone from getting a duplicate of your loved one’s driver’s license, you can notify the DMV in their state and ask them to cancel the driver’s license.

4. Close email and social media accounts

Finally, your loved one’s online presence. Each email account and social media account is a potential target for hackers, so once you’ve accessed the information you need or would like to save, it’s important to either close or memorialize the accounts.

If you need help handling these and other tasks after the loss of a loved one, please get in touch. Learn more about our services here.