Came across this and just shook my head. I mean come on people. Where is the moral compass in this country?
Identity prowlers comb obituaries. They forward the deceased’s mail which contains an overabundance of personal information, from credit card accounts to bank accounts, which they in turn use.
They literally take on your identity; they take your name becoming you; and they get drivers licenses as you, but with their picture. They will use their newly acquired identity to get loans, open bank accounts and take out mortgages.
Once a loved one passes away, you may want hire a lawyer to help you identify any financial, credit card, insurance and/or loan companies the deceased might have had accounts open with or had done business with.
Joint accounts should also have the deceased’s name removed. Provide all the above institutions with a copy of the death certificate, request the accounts to be closed and that an official letter confirming this action be mailed to you. The major credit reporting agencies (i.e. TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax) should also be notified.
If an identity thief tries to use the deceased’s credit, the agencies will realize there is a Û÷deceased alertÛª and will tell the company that the person is dead and cannot be issued credit.
The FTC website http://www.ftc.gov provides consumers many tools, tips, and breaking news.
I mean really. Caregivers already exhausted from caring for a loved one still can not rest after their loved ones death.