Internet Scambusters
The #1 Publication on Internet
Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org" rel="nofollow - By Scambuster
Keith
Issue #690 March 2, 2016
Whatever your views on life after
death, did you know that an individual's "existence" usually continues online
after they die?
And that could pose real dangers in the form of
fraudulent use of accounts and even identity theft.
Deleting these
accounts is not always straightforward but we'll explain how to do it with the
most popular online service providers in this week's issue.
Dangers of
Digital Life After
Death
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Although
death isn't something most of us want to think or talk about, especially when it
involves those near and dear to us, the simple fact is that after death, an
individual's virtual life goes on. It doesn't automatically end.
This has
serious implications for those of us left behind to pick up the pieces. For
instance, all the data, images, accounts and other information that remain
online about a person can be used for fraud, identity theft, Social Security and
other scams.
Or they may have left behind regularly deductible payments
associated with them that will continue for as long as the accounts remain
active.
So, it's crucial to act swiftly to delete or take control of
these accounts and their data as swiftly as possible after a loss.
But
where do you start?
First, let's backtrack to the here and
now.
Every one of us can make the whole task of closing or deleting
accounts easier for others by creating a record of all our online
activities.
Obviously, this has to be a secure record, either encrypted
on a PC or printed and stored safely, to which only people you trust have
access. It should include account details, user names, passwords, website
addresses and details of any recurring payments.
Second, you should also
research with each service provider that you use what to do with your accounts
in the event of your death and include that in the record.
This means
checking with each service as to their arrangements for closing or otherwise
dealing with online information for a deceased person.
You'll find some
useful information to help you with this task below.
Third, you should
also encourage other friends and family to create the same kind of record. That
might save you or others precious time and eliminate the risk of fraud when the
time arrives.
By the way, don't attach this document to a will, which
becomes a public document after death. But you may want to name a person in your
will -- someone referred to as a "digital executor" -- who will be responsible
for making decisions and clearing up any issues associated with your online
activities.
We must also point out that the terms and conditions of some
online service providers may say that you mustn't share account details with
others.
We at Scambusters cannot and do not provide legal advice on how
to deal with this requirement. If this is a concern for you, speak to an
attorney.
If this sort of forward planning isn't in place when you face
the tasks of a digital executor -- even if you haven't been formally named as
one -- you'll still need to act as swiftly as possible.
Assuming you
don't have the relevant sign-on information or, for legal reasons just
mentioned, don't wish to access accounts without the provider's permission, here
are some steps you can take.
Accessing and Deleting Email
Accounts
All the big email service providers have set procedures for this
that can be fairly complex.
For example, they will want proof of your
identity, relationship with the deceased, a copy of the relevant death
certificate and information from a sample email sent to you by the deceased
person when they were alive.
You can find a fairly comprehensive list of
requirements for all the big email services here: https://www.everplans.com/articles/what-happens-to-my-email-accounts-when-i-die" rel="nofollow - (Note that this is an article provided by a private digital archiving
company but it's free to access. We can't vouch for its
accuracy).
Deleting Social Media Accounts
Facebook: You have
two options -- deleting the account entirely or preserving it, or what FB calls
"memorializing" it. In either case, you need proof of death and then you must
complete the relevant form.
Start here: https://www.facebook.com/help/150486848354038" rel="nofollow -
Twitter: You can delete an account entirely or just have certain
imagery removed by submitting a request to Twitter's Trust and Safety
Department. Normally, you must be a family member.
Here's the initial
link: https://support.twitter.com/articles/87894?lang=en" rel="nofollow -
LinkedIn: The company has a broader policy allowing former
acquaintances and business associates as well as family to notify of deaths for
account deletion.
But because of this, the security requirements are
onerous including a requirement for submission of a published obituary and proof
of your knowledge of the person.
Here's the starting point: https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2842/~/deceased-linkedin-member---removing-profile" rel="nofollow - Other accounts: Do an online search inserting the name of the relevant
social network. For example: "Delete Myspace account after
death."
Deleting Other Accounts
You can use the same approach
just mentioned to find out how to delete other accounts.
In some cases,
service providers automatically delete accounts if they are not used within a
specific time frame.
For example, the cloud storage service Dropbox
deletes inactive accounts after 90 days, although they will usually send out an
email warning before doing so.
It's also worth noting, going back to the
subject of advance preparation, that several Internet services allow active
users to nominate a person to whom access and control of accounts can be
transferred on death.
Google, for example, does this through its
Inactive Account Manager. See http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2013/04/plan-your-digital-afterlife-with.html" rel="nofollow - Yes, this whole subject is a gloomy one, but by taking action now, you
can make this task easier for those who have to deal with your after-death
affairs.
Alert of the week: If you stayed in a Hyatt Hotel or dined at
one of its restaurants between July and December last year, your personal
details may have been stolen via malware the firm discovered on computer systems
at 250 of its locations.
The company says it is contacting guests
affected but you can find out more (including a link to affected hotels) here:
http://www.hyatt.com/protectingourcustomers/" rel="nofollow - Time to conclude for today -- have a great week!