09 Jan Can I check if a dead person’s Social Security number is being misused?

Q. I recently read an article about people who have died and that their Social Security number can get reused by illegals as someone’s numbers have been hacked and now being sold and reused. And in some cases there are tax issues for the families of those who have died. Is there a way to check if a deceased person’s Social Security number has been recently used or is now active after a family member has died?
— Concerned

A. Let’s start with your comment about “illegals.”

Criminals do indeed steal and try to use Social Security numbers, and an unknown number of them are available for sale on the dark web.

But there is nothing to suggest undocumented people are the ones doing the stealing and defrauding. Many of these fraud networks are based overseas, and of course some are here. Fraud is everywhere.

Now to your question.

The misuse of deceased individuals’ Social Security numbers does happen, most commonly for employment or tax fraud, said Claudia Mott, a certified financial planner with Epona Financial Solutions in Basking Ridge.

“The family of the deceased whose number is used fraudulently generally is not financially liable,” she said.

To try to avoid fraud, there are a few steps you can take after a person dies, she said.

“Promptly report the death to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Funeral homes typically do this, but the family should confirm,” she said.

You can also send copies of the death certificate to the three major credit reporting bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — and ask them to put a “deceased alert” on the credit report, Mott said.

Then be sire to notify other agencies and institutions such as banks, credit card companies and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to flag the accounts, she said.

Also, she said, try to avoid including excessive personal information (like a birth date or mother’s maiden name) in public obituaries.

While there is no single place to check for fraudulent use of a Social Security number, if you are concerned, Mott said there are some red flags to be aware of.

“The IRS may begin sending notices regarding unreported income or unfiled taxes,” she said. “If there is any suspicion, the executor or personal representative can file IRS Form 14039–Identity Theft Affidavit and check the box for `Deceased individual,’”

Earnings may also be reported to the SSA, and the executor or a surviving spouse would be able to check by contacting the agency, she said.

“Activity, such as an application for a credit card, may be reported to the credit agencies,” Mott said. “If the agencies were notified and marked the account holder as `deceased,’ this shouldn’t happen. Any unusual activity should be immediately reported to all three agencies,” she said.

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This story was originally published in January 2026. 

NJMoneyHelp.com presents certain general financial planning principles and advice, but should never be viewed as a substitute for obtaining advice from a personal professional advisor who understands your unique individual circumstances.