Are your deceased loved ones at risk of identity theft?

The passing of a loved one is an already tragic time without the added worry of identity theft.

However, the risks of a perpetrator stealing information from a deceased individual are cause for concern. In order to prevent this added upset, there are a number of considerations and precautionary actions you can take to protect the identity of a late relative. 

According to the Australian Crime Commission, thieves are able to find information on potential targets through public obituaries.1 With this in mind, publishing a funeral announcement in the newspaper or on an open forum should be approached with caution. Usually, the deceased person will have laid out their funeral arrangements in the will and if they requested a public obituary, relatives must respect their wishes.

However, if there was no indication, it is safer to notify individuals directly. Rallying together friends and family for support can make the process easier for you. It is also important to notify banks, insurance providers and other key organisations to close all accounts.

Protecting personal details

With the passing-away of a loved one comes the need to fill out a death certificate. This document, like all other key identity file, needs to be protected with the utmost care. 

A lost or stolen death certificate is vulnerable to perpetrators using the information to forge identity documents. The Australian Federal Police department stated that falsified documents can be used to commit a range of fraudulent activity.2 This can include opening a bank account, registering for a car or applying for other foreign passports. 

To avoid any possible windows for theft, it is important that you register a death as soon as possible. The funeral director will usually file the form but if there will be a significant delay between the time of death and the official proceedings, you can apply yourself.3 

There has been some positive news regarding the prevention of identity loss amongst the deceased. Since 2011, the Registry of Birth, Deaths and Marriages have been digitising records in order to more accurately cross check birth and death certificates, according to an October 2011 article in The Australian.4

"After September 11, 2011, there was much more emphasis on identity", said Software Developer John Doolan. 

"[The registries] were forced to move in the last decade from an event system to identity services."4

Alongside these changes, Identity Watch can offer more peace of mind when it comes to protecting data. By carefully monitoring the internet for any signs of your loved ones' personal information where information is known to be illegally traded, Identity Watch will alert you of illegal or suspicious activity and advise you on what to do next.

1Identity Crime, Australian Crime Commission. Accessed September 2014.

2Identity Crime, Australian Federal Police. Accessed September 2014

3Registering a death, Queensland Government. Accessed September 2014

4Backlogs of birth, death records prone to ID thefts, The Australian. October 2011.