Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. I enjoy the creativity of costumes, the vibrant fall colors, and the mysterious ambiance of the unknown. Unfortunately,  ghost scams are another predatory tactic used by scammers throughout the year using personal information found in obituaries as  a way to steal  a deceased person’s identity.

Obituaries are loving tributes to those who have passed on. For the scam artist they are a treasure trove of personal information that can be used for illegal means. Date of birth, birthplace, relatives ,maiden names, lifelong activities, military service, and burial information can all be used to create a new identity. Certainly honoring someone’s memory is of utmost importance , but precautionary measures may be useful to  help protect their legacy.

Some gentle reminders for grieving family members follow. These should be done as soon as possible to minimize the risk of a ghost scam.

Notify the Social Security Administration of the person’a death. 1-800-772-1213

Notify the IRS. 1-800-829-1040

Notify Credit Bureaus and consider Credit Monitoring.

Equifax 1-888-378-4329

Experian 1-888-397-3742

TransUnion 1-800-916-8800

Also notify banks, insurance companies, and other business institutions. They will guide you through the process.

It is sad to think that the grieving process has to include safeguards after someone passes away. I hope these tips help during difficult times.