To assist with how to report identity theft of a deceased person, you have to be named as the executor of the deceased’s estate or otherwise have legal authority to act on the deceased’s behalf and will likely need to provide proof. When taking any of the steps below, keep all documentation regarding steps taken and letters regarding clearance with other estate-related papers.
REPORTING IDENTITY THEFT OF A DECEASED PERSON
The first step in how to report identity theft of a deceased person is to file an Identity Theft Report with the Federal Trade Commission. When filing the report there is a section for you to file a report on another’s behalf.
If the identity theft involves financial accounts, obtain a copy of the deceased’s credit report from all three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) and follow the steps found in our Action Plan: Resolving Financial Identity Theft, letting the creditors know you are acting on behalf of the deceased.
If the identity theft involves someone working as the deceased, filing taxes as the deceased or obtaining government benefits or identification as the deceased, follow the steps found in our Action Plan: Resolving Government Identity Theft, letting the government agencies know you are acting on behalf of the deceased.
If the identity theft involves criminal action, follow the steps found in our Action Plan: Clearing Your Name From Criminal Identity Theft, letting the law enforcement agencies know you are acting on behalf of the deceased.
If the identity theft involves someone obtaining medical services using the deceased’s identity, follow the steps found in our Action Plan: Correcting Medical Records Due To Identity Theft, letting the entities involved know that you are acting on behalf of the deceased.
If you have additional questions or concerns regarding how to report identity theft of a deceased person you can receive no-cost assistance from the expert advisors at ITRC. Call us toll-free at 888.400.5530 or LiveChat with an expert today.
