• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Budgeting / Debt Relief
  • Home / Health / Auto
  • Credit Cards & Scores
  • Tax Tips
  • Kids / Students & Money
  • More
    • Electronics & Gadgets
    • Health & Beauty
    • Hobbies & Crafts
    • Home & Garden
    • Jobs & Money
    • Outdoor Fun
    • Travel

Personal Finance Guide

Real People. Real Experiences. Real Helpful.

a Fun Times Guide site

Home » Jobs & Money » Home / Health / Auto » Before You Write Your Loved One’s Obituary…

Before You Write Your Loved One’s Obituary…

Pin
Share
Tweet

Some articles on this site contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to yourself.


Not exactly “fun” news for The Fun Times Guide… but helpful information nonetheless.

scam-proof-your-life-by-sid-kirchheimer.jpgI was taken aback this morning when I saw a segment on The Today Show called How To Stop Identity Theft Of The Dead.

The part that stuck in my head: “Don’t give away too many details about your loved one in the obituary.”

The expert offering advice throughout the segment was Sid Kirchheimer, the “Scam-Alert” columnist from AARP and author of Scam-Proof Your Life.

They shared the story of a man who died at the age of 72 with only 2 credit cards to his name.

However, in the 2 weeks after his death, more than 20 credit applications had been created in his name.

The fact of the matter is, with just a name, address, and a birthdate, losers can buy a Social Security Number for next to nothing. It’s an easy way for them to steal identities and credit lines… since most deceased individuals don’t check their credit reports.

Scammers troll through obituaries for names and addresses. Then they buy Social Security numbers and other personal data — such as credit histories — of the recently departed for as little as $15 on the Internet. ‘About 400,000 checking accounts were opened in the names of deceased people in 2004,’ says Jay Foley of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a San Diego-based consumer advocacy group. But often the goal is to open credit accounts in the name of the dead. Source

Here are some important steps you should take to protect the identity of your loved one:

When writing the obituary, don’t include the day and month of their birth — only use the year. Be as generic as possible in the obituary… don’t mention where the person was born, and don’t give any addresses in the obituary. (“Aside from preventing identity theft, you don’t want thieves to visit the house, helping themselves while you’re interring a loved one.” Source

 

What You Should Do

#1 – Notify the Social Security Administration of the death right away. Not only does the SSA maintain a master list of all deceased individuals by Social Security Number (which will prevent the use of that SSN by anyone else in the future), but they also inform a whole host of other agencies as well. This one phone call prevents you from having to notify “everyone under the sun”.

#2 – Make several dozen copies of the death certificate so you’ll always have one on hand should you need to dispute something in the future.

#3 – Death certificates should immediately be sent to anyone who has issued credit to this person (credit card companies, banks), along with a request to cancel the account(s) immediately. Even notify all “joint”  accounts, to inform them that one of the individuals on the account is deceased. Also send a copy of the death certificate to each of the 3 credit-reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion) immediately after the person’s death.

#4 – Contact your state department of motor vehicles (DMV) to void the person’s driver license number and prevent duplicates from being issued. Often, fake driver’s licenses and ID cards are made using the info of a deceased person.

#5 – Finally, request a credit report of the deceased person.(“By law, you are entitled a free credit report from all three main bureaus every year. Several weeks following the death, use this service to run a credit report on the deceased to ensure there’s no suspicious activity.”)

When a loved one dies, and there’s so much else going on, you really don’t think about having to protect their name and reputation. But unfortunately, you really have to. Source

Check here on the Today Show website for lots more details, helpful tips, and even a sample letter to help prevent the risk of identity theft of the dead.

Lynnette
Lynnette

With input from Financial Advisors, (a Tax Accountant and an Investment Manager), I share helpful tips regarding money and finances — including debt relief, insurance, budgeting, and investing for retirement. My goal is to help you save more, spend less, and invest for the future by sharing honest, tried & true budgeting tips and tools. When I'm not saving for the future and helping others save for theirs, you can find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).

franklin.thefuntimesguide.com/the_face_behind_the_blog/
Pin
Share
Tweet

Filed Under: Home / Health / Auto, Jobs & Money Tagged With: death and dying, identity theft

Primary Sidebar

About Us

LynnetteWith input from Financial Advisors, (a Tax Accountant and an Investment Manager), I share helpful tips regarding money and finances -- including debt relief, insurance, budgeting, and investing for retirement. My goal is to help you save more, spend less, and invest for the future by sharing honest, tried & true budgeting tips and tools. When I'm not saving for the future and helping others save for theirs, you can find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).

Lynnette: View My Blog Posts

AndreaI have been a certified tightwad striving for financial freedom since I became pregnant with my first child -- and I decided to find a way to stay home with him full-time. I enjoy sharing my personal experiences in my journey back to financial health and planning for a future -- which will include sending 2 kids to college and early retirement.

Andrea: View My Blog Posts

Top Searches

auto insurance bankruptcy banks books car buying charities childcare Christmas clothing and shoes college consignment and thrift stores credit cards and gift cards credit rating death and dying debt relief frugal tips gas and car costs gifts grocery shopping health insurance home buying homeowners insurance identity theft investments jobs life insurance loans monthly bills and utilities office items and housewares online shopping organizing tips phone restaurants retirement saving money selling things senior living Spousal issues stocks student loans and financial aid tax credits and deductions Taxes 101 tax updates today's economy traffic tickets

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
Fun Times Guide logo
Shop Our Favorite Items

Copyright © 2004-2021 The Fun Times Guide | Privacy Policy | About | Contact | Sitemap