Identity Theft and Online Fraud
What steps should I take to protect a deceased person's identity?
Short answer
Send a certified death certificate to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) requesting a deceased alert. Notify the SSA. Cancel or update government IDs. Cancel subscriptions. Monitor the deceased's credit report for 12 months after death. Consider a credit freeze —…
What this usually means
Send a certified death certificate to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) requesting a deceased alert. Notify the SSA. Cancel or update government IDs. Cancel subscriptions. Monitor the deceased's credit report for 12 months after death. Consider a credit freeze — even deceased people can have their identities stolen.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county help for coroner contacts, vital records, cost tools, and paperwork.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.