LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Identity theft impacts millions of Americans each year, and sometimes, even the deceased are not spared.
Las Vegas resident James Strade says he was stunned when a letter arrived at his home recently, addressed to his late wife, Laura, who passed away two years ago.
“Maybe you could give me a heads up to tell me if it was legit or if they were trying to scam seniors, because my wife died two years ago,” Strade said.
The letter, sent from Citibank, requested IRS information to access credit reports for a new credit card. The problem? Strade says his wife was never a Citibank customer.
Unsure if it was real or a scam, he reached out to Channel 13 for help.
“I was skeptical of this and didn’t know who to contact, if I should go to the police department or the feds, so I called you guys,” Strade said.
When Channel 13 reached out to Citibank, the bank confirmed the letter was legitimate, but said someone had likely stolen Laura’s identity.
Local identity theft attorney Craig Friedberg says this kind of fraud happens more often than people realize — and it can occur months or even years after a person’s death.
“It used to be people would actually go to cemeteries, look for newly created graves, and take birth and death dates right off tombstones,” Friedberg explained. “Now, criminals don’t even need to leave their computers. A lot of this information ends up on the dark web through data breaches.”
Friedberg says families can take several steps to protect their deceased loved ones from identity theft:
- Order multiple death certificates and notify agencies like the Social Security Administration immediately.
- Place a deceased alert on all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
- Monitor mail closely for new credit card offers or bills addressed to the deceased.
- Check credit reports regularly during the first six to 18 months after a loved one’s passing.
- If fraud is suspected, report it immediately at IdentityTheft.gov to start a recovery plan.
“It’s tough — there’s a lot of crooks out there,” Strade said.
Friedberg adds that companies aren’t automatically notified when a customer dies, meaning it’s up to family members to report the death and monitor for suspicious activity.
“It’s not a company’s responsibility to know if a customer has died unless you report it or suspect identity theft,” he said.
He emphasizes that the first two years after a loved one’s passing are especially critical for staying vigilant.