Obituaries and Identity Theft: How to Protect Your Loved One

How Obituaries Can Lead to Identity Theft

When writing a tribute to a loved one who's passed, you'll likely want to share key biographical information, including their hometown, birthplace, birth date, alma mater, grandchildren's names and more. But many of these details are the same information fraudsters seek out when committing identity theft.

These identifying details may be enough for a scammer to steal the identity of the person who has passed away. For instance, an identity thief might discover answers to account security questions or use the information to uncover more details, such as the deceased's Social Security number, on the dark web.

Even though a person is no longer living, their identity still could be used to apply for and get approved for loans, file fraudulent tax returns and other financial crimes. Left unaddressed, this manner of identity theft can create a big hassle for survivors.

What Identity Thieves Can Do With Information Obtained Through Obituaries

With enough information garnered from an obituary, scammers may attempt to commit identity fraud in a method known as "ghosting."

In instances of ghosting, fraudsters may use stolen identities to:

• Access financial accounts: Scammers may be able to use identifying details to answer security questions, impersonate the deceased or extract additional information to access financial accounts.
• Filing fraudulent tax returns: If they can get their hands on the decedent's Social Security number, they may attempt to file a tax return in the decedent's name in the hopes of stealing their refund.
• Access health benefits: Thieves might commit medical identity theft by using the deceased's information to access medical care or file a fraudulent insurance claim.
• Borrow money: A scammer could borrow money by getting a new loan or opening a credit card in the decedent's name.
• Bereavement scams: Using details in the obituary, a scammer might pose as a friend or relative of the deceased. They may then attempt to prey on their grief and manipulate the decedent's loved ones to scam them.
• Imposter scams: Scammers might pretend to be someone collecting on the decedent's debts. If the family isn't familiar with their loved one's finances, they may be tricked into paying.
• Elder scams: Obituaries may name the deceased's surviving spouse or elderly siblings, making them vulnerable to fraud targeted at the aging population.

What Should Not Be Included in an Obituary?

Despite ghosting scams, you can still write a meaningful obituary for your loved one. Just be cautious about the information you choose to include. Here are some specifics you may want to leave out:

• Exact birth date
• Exact place of birth
• Home address
• Middle name
• Maiden names
• Family member's names
• Specific education and work history
• Military service details

When in doubt, avoid specifics and lean toward more general statements.

Important Steps to Take When a Loved One Dies

Losing a loved one is never easy, but it's important to protect their identity after they pass. Doing so can save you and other family members more emotional, logistical and financial stress.

Here are some key steps you should take when a loved one passes away:

• Gather and secure important documents. These include estate documents, power of attorney documents, identification cards, passport, family records, insurance policies, financial account information and online passwords.
• Order extra copies of the decedent's death certificate. You'll need to provide certified copies of the decedent's death certificate to several agencies—such as banks and insurance companies—to close out accounts. Have between 10 and 20 extra copies handy.
• Contact the Social Security Administration (SSA). You'll need to inform the SSA of your loved one's passing to learn about survivor benefits. You can also ask the funeral home to do this for you.
• Notify the motor vehicle department. Reach out to your state's agency to cancel the decedent's driver's license.
• Reach out to creditors and lenders. Notify all creditors and lenders of your loved one's death so they can add it to their records.
• Contact banks and brokerages. Contact banks and other financial institutions to have accounts secured—or, in the case of joint accounts, transferred to the joint holder.
• Notify the credit bureaus. Reach out to each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) to report the death of a relative so they can flag the deceased's file appropriately. This can help prevent scammers from opening new credit lines in their name.

Protect Your Loved One's Legacy

Unfortunately, the risk of identity theft doesn't disappear when someone dies. Protect your deceased loved one's identity by leaving specific details out of their obituary. You can still tell their story and honor their legacy, but avoid using full names, birth and death dates and other identifiers.

While caring for a loved one's affairs, don't neglect your own safety. Use Experian's identity theft monitoring tools to safeguard your own identity and to stay on top of any suspicious activity. You can start for free to protect your personal information, get real-time alerts and receive up to $1 million in identity theft insurance coverage.