Six months after Patricia’s death, her daughter received disturbing mail: – Credit card applications in Patricia’s name (denied, fortunately) – Collection notices for accounts she never opened – IRS notice about suspicious tax return filed – Bank alert about account opening attempt – Cell phone bill for service at unknown address
Patricia’s identity had been stolen—after her death.
Cybercriminals know how hard it is to catch identity theft of deceased persons, making this a growing concern for estates and families. In 2018, studies found 800,000 of the 2.5 million identity theft victims were deceased persons.
This guide shows families how to protect deceased loved ones from identity theft and data breaches.
Why Deceased Persons Are Targets
The Perfect Victims
Criminals prefer deceased victims because: – Detection takes longer (no one monitoring accounts) – Less likely to check credit reports – Family often unaware of fraud – SSN available in public records – Obituaries provide personal information – Window of opportunity during estate settlement
Timeline of vulnerability: – Days 1-30: Highest risk period – Months 1-6: Still very vulnerable – Years 1-3: Moderate risk continues – Ongoing: Some risk remains indefinitely
How They Get Information
Public sources: – Obituaries provide birth dates, addresses, relatives’ names – Death certificates (sometimes publicly accessible) – Social Security Death Master File – Property records – Online memorial pages
Data breaches: – Data breaches expose SSNs, credit card numbers, medical records of millions annually – Deceased persons’ data included – Often sold on dark web – Used months or years later
Social engineering: – Calling family posing as creditors – Phishing emails to relatives – Fake charity solicitations – Romance scams using deceased’s information
Immediate Protection Steps (Week 1)
Step 1: Order Death Certificates
The ITRC recommends ordering at least 12 copies of the official death certificate as the first step.
Why 12 copies? – 3 for credit bureaus – 2-3 for financial institutions – 2 for government agencies – 2 for insurance companies – 2 spare for unexpected needs
Get certified copies, not photocopies
Step 2: Notify Credit Bureaus
Contact all three:
Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 – Mail death certificate – Request deceased alert – Request credit freeze
Experian: 1-888-397-3742 – Submit death notice online or by mail – Deceased alert applied – No new credit can be issued
TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 – Send certified death certificate – Deceased person flag added – Prevents new account openings
What deceased alert does: – Flags account as deceased – Prevents new credit applications – Stops pre-approved credit offers – Alerts creditors to verify identity
Step 3: Request Credit Reports
Review for: – Accounts you don’t recognize – Recent credit inquiries – New accounts opened near or after death – Address changes – Unusual activity
Take action if suspicious: – Report to credit bureau – File identity theft report – Contact creditors directly – Freeze accounts
Step 4: Notify Social Security Administration
Call: 1-800-772-1213
Provide: – SSN of deceased – Date of death – Death certificate
What happens: – SSN flagged as deceased – Prevents SSN misuse – Stops benefit payments – Notifies other agencies
Note: Funeral homes often do this, but verify.
Ongoing Protection Measures
Monitor Credit Reports
Frequency: – Monthly for first 6 months – Quarterly for next year – Annually for several years
Free reports: – AnnualCreditReport.com – One free report per bureau per year – As executor, you can request
Watch for: – New accounts – Credit inquiries – Address changes – Employment changes – Any activity at all
Secure Personal Documents
Shred or secure: – Old tax returns – Bank statements – Credit card offers – Medical records – Any document with SSN or personal info
Don’t: – Leave mail in unlocked mailbox – Throw away unshredded documents – Leave paperwork visible in car – Store in unsecured locations
Monitor for Tax Fraud
IRS Identity Theft: – File Identity Theft Report with FTC if tax fraud occurs – Criminals file fake return to steal refund – IRS Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit)
Prevention: – File estate tax return promptly – Request IRS Identity Protection PIN (if available) – Monitor IRS correspondence – Report suspicious IRS notices
Protect Obituary Information
Safer obituary practices: – Use year of birth, not full date – City only, not street address – First names only for relatives – Avoid maiden names – Limit biographical details – Consider private funeral details
Still meaningful without: – Exact birth date – Full address – Mother’s maiden name – Other identity theft red flags
If Identity Theft Occurs
Step 1: File Identity Theft Report
Process: 1. Go to IdentityTheft.gov 2. Complete report online 3. Get FTC Identity Theft Report 4. Print for records
Step 2: File Police Report
Why: – Creates official record – Required by some creditors – Strengthens your case – May be needed for legal action
Bring: – Death certificate – FTC Identity Theft Report – Evidence of fraud – Proof of executor status
Step 3: Contact Creditors
For each fraudulent account: – Call fraud department – Send written notice – Include death certificate – Include identity theft report – Request account closure – Dispute charges
Follow up: – Get written confirmation – Keep all correspondence – Document every conversation – Save confirmation numbers
Step 4: Notify Other Agencies
Notify: – DMV (prevent driver’s license fraud) – Postal Service (mail theft) – State Attorney General – AARP Fraud Watch (if applicable)
Estate Administration Complications
Impact on estate: – Delays probate process – Legal fees to resolve fraud – Lost estate assets – Creditor claims from fraud – Extended administration time
Protecting estate: – Quick action on identity theft – Document all fraud clearly – Maintain evidence trail – Work with estate attorney – Keep probate court informed
Data Breach Response
If deceased was in data breach:
Check: – HaveIBeenPwned.com (enter email) – Company breach notifications – News reports of breaches
What’s exposed: – SSN – Credit card numbers – Medical records – Login credentials – Personal information
Actions: – Extra vigilant monitoring – Immediate credit freeze – Change passwords on accounts – Watch for specific fraud types related to breach
Long-Term Protection
Annual Reviews
Every year for 3-5 years: – Pull credit reports – Check for new activity – Verify deceased alert still active – Monitor tax filings – Review estate accounts
Keep Deceased Alert Active
Credit bureaus may remove deceased alert after: – 2-3 years typically – Verify it’s still active – Renew if needed – Maintain vigilance
Secure Digital Assets
Digital identity theft: – Email account hijacking – Social media impersonation – Online account fraud – Cryptocurrency theft
Protection: – Close or memorialize accounts – Change passwords – Enable 2FA – Monitor for fake profiles
Prevention for Your Own Planning
While Alive
Freeze your credit: – Free at all three bureaus – Prevents new accounts – Easy to unfreeze when needed – Strong protection
Monitor credit: – Free services like Credit Karma – Bank credit monitoring – Identity theft protection services – Regular credit report checks
Protect SSN: – Never carry Social Security card – Limit who has access – Don’t give out unnecessarily – Shred documents with SSN
Estate Planning Documents
Include instructions:
"Upon my death, my Executor should immediately:
1. Order 12 death certificates
2. Notify all three credit bureaus
3. Place deceased alert on credit reports
4. Request credit freeze
5. Notify Social Security Administration
6. Monitor credit reports monthly for 6 months
7. File identity theft report if fraud discovered"
Store securely: – List of accounts – Credit monitoring logins – Documentation of assets – Emergency contacts
Conclusion
Deceased persons can’t protect themselves from identity theft. That responsibility falls to the family.
Immediate actions: ✓ Order death certificates (12 copies) ✓ Notify credit bureaus (deceased alert) ✓ Request credit reports (review for fraud) ✓ Notify Social Security (flag SSN) ✓ Monitor actively (first 6 months critical)
Ongoing protection: ✓ Regular credit monitoring ✓ Secure personal documents ✓ Watch for tax fraud ✓ Maintain deceased alerts ✓ Stay vigilant for years
If fraud occurs: ✓ File FTC identity theft report ✓ File police report ✓ Contact creditors ✓ Document everything ✓ Work with estate attorney
Death is difficult enough without adding identity theft to the burden. Protect your loved one’s identity with the same care you protected them in life.
Resources
- IdentityTheft.gov – File Report
- Identity Theft Resource Center
- Deceased Person Credit Report Request
- AnnualCreditReport.com
Sources
- Ghosting: Protect Deceased from Identity Theft | ID Watchdog
- Identity Theft of Deceased Persons | Michigan
- How to Report Identity Theft of Deceased | ITRC
- Identity Theft and the Deceased | California DOJ
- Ghost Stories: Identity Theft After Death | LifeLock
- Identity Theft of Deceased Person | Aura
- Avoiding Identity Theft During Estate Administration
- Theft of Deceased Person’s Identity | Consumer Action