Social Security fraud alert - someone using my deceased husband's SSN for 2023 earnings?

This is DEFINITELY identity theft! My cousin had the EXACT same thing happen with her deceased mother's SSN. You need to do MORE than just call the fraud line - you need to put a formal fraud alert with all three credit bureaus RIGHT AWAY!!! These scammers are trying to collect tax refunds or benefits using your husband's info. Also file a police report and notify the IRS fraud department too!!! Don't wait!!!

I work with identity theft cases and can provide some practical guidance here. You've taken good first steps by contacting the SSA fraud line and the employer. Here's what else you should do: 1. File an identity theft report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov 2. Contact the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) to place a credit freeze on your husband's reports 3. Notify the IRS by submitting Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) 4. Request a copy of your husband's credit reports to check for other fraudulent activity This scam typically works by someone using the deceased person's SSN for employment to either avoid using their own SSN (possibly due to immigration status or criminal record) or as part of a larger tax refund fraud scheme where they file a return to collect a refund.

Had something similar with my dad's SSN after he passed. So frustrating! Make sure u follow up with SSA in a few weeks. Sometimes these reports fall thru cracks.

omg thats scary! did u check ur husbands credit report? might show other stuff going on u dont know about yet

It's important to understand that SSA maintains a Death Master File that should prevent this kind of fraud, but occasionally records can have errors or the system can be exploited. Here's my advice as someone who's dealt with this professionally: 1. Request a corrected death certificate from SSA if they don't have it properly recorded 2. Ask SSA for a "NUMIDENT" search to verify your husband's death is properly recorded in their system 3. If the earnings are appearing on his earnings record, specifically request an earnings deletion with SSA 4. Monitor your husband's earnings record annually to ensure no additional wages appear This is often part of a synthetic identity fraud scheme where criminals combine real SSNs with fabricated names, addresses, and other credentials. They're primarily targeting financial institutions rather than SSA benefits directly.

my neighbor says these scammers are using ai now to make fake ids with real ss numbers. scary world we live in!!

Update: I spent the morning making all the recommended reports. The FTC process was easier than I expected. I also contacted all three credit bureaus, though Experian gave me a hard time because I didn't have his credit card numbers (from 17 years ago!). The local police were honestly not very interested and said it would just be a basic report. The most shocking thing is that I DID get copies of his credit reports and discovered TWO credit cards were opened in his name last year! I'm absolutely stunned. Going to call those credit card companies next.

This is why our WHOLE SYSTEM is broken!!! My parents both passed and I had to spend MONTHS clearing up identity theft issues. The government needs to FIX this!!!

After working through several cases like this with clients, I'd suggest one more critical step: contact your local SSA office directly (not just the fraud line) and request a personal appointment to review the earnings record issue. Bring multiple copies of the death certificate, your marriage certificate, and your ID. Ask them to document the case in detail. When I tried calling SSA about a similar issue for a client, I spent weeks getting nowhere. Using Claimyr (claimyr.com) was a game-changer. Their service connected me to an actual SSA representative in under 30 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. There's a short video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It's especially helpful for complex cases like identity theft where you need to speak with someone who can actually access and correct records.

did they say anything else in the letter? sometimes these are just routine verification things and not actual fraud

One thing no one has mentioned - this could potentially impact your tax situation as well. The IRS might be expecting a tax return for those fake earnings. You should consider getting an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS (IP PIN) for filing purposes, even though he's deceased. Also, check if a tax return was fraudulently filed using his information for 2022 or 2023 by requesting tax transcripts from the IRS.

Based on your update about finding new credit cards opened in his name, I strongly recommend taking these additional steps: 1. File a formal report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov 2. Contact the SSA Inspector General's office directly at 1-800-269-0271 3. Request an official letter from SSA confirming your husband's death has been properly recorded 4. Write to the HR departments of the company mentioned in the SSA letter with a copy of the death certificate This level of identity theft suggests a more sophisticated fraud operation that may require federal investigation. Be persistent with every agency you contact.

just curious did the fraud line seem like they cared or were they just taking info?

I'd like to clarify something important about this situation that might ease your mind slightly. While this is absolutely identity theft that needs to be addressed, the letter you received actually shows that SSA's system is working correctly in one respect. They detected earnings that seemed suspicious given your husband's death record, which is why they sent the verification letter. This is part of their earnings reconciliation process. The fact that they questioned these earnings rather than automatically adding them to his record suggests his death IS properly recorded in their main system. The fraud is likely happening at the employer/W-2 level, not within SSA's death recording system. Still, follow through with all the excellent advice others have provided regarding the credit bureaus, FTC, and other protections.

my uncle works for ssa and says ths happens ALL THE TIME with stolen identities. the theives dont care if the person is dead they just need a matching name and SSN to get jobs

Final update: You all have been so helpful through this stressful situation! I wanted to share what's happened after taking your advice. I filed all the recommended reports and placed credit freezes. The credit card companies closed the fraudulent accounts after I sent death certificates. The most progress came after using that Claimyr service someone suggested to reach SSA directly. I actually got through to a knowledgeable agent who confirmed my husband's death was properly recorded but explained the earnings issue slipped through during employer reporting. They're removing the false earnings and flagging his SSN in their system for enhanced monitoring. They also connected me with their OIG (Office of Inspector General) to ensure a thorough investigation. It's been exhausting but I feel like I've done everything possible to shut this down. Thank you all again for your guidance through this ordeal!

Thank you for sharing your experience and updates throughout this ordeal - it's incredibly helpful for others who might face similar situations. Your systematic approach to handling this identity theft was exactly right. I'm glad the Claimyr service helped you get through to a knowledgeable SSA agent who could actually resolve the earnings issue and set up enhanced monitoring. One additional tip for anyone reading this thread: if you're dealing with deceased family member identity theft, consider requesting annual Social Security statements for the deceased person (if you're the legal representative). This can help you catch fraudulent activity early before it becomes as extensive as what happened here with the credit cards. It's unfortunate that protecting deceased loved ones' identities requires so much effort, but your detailed documentation of the process will definitely help others navigate this same nightmare.