Identity Theft and SSN of Deceased Children

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi
Shocked would best describe my mindset when reading this Chicago Sun article on how identity thieves are using a government database to steal identities of deceased children. It is considered malpractice for an attorney to list a client's SSN in estate planning documents, yet the government still publishes a "Death Master File" disclosing a deceased child's name, date of birth, and SSN. The only thing that surprises me more is that it isn't used more often. The fact that it is getting attention may bring it to more would be thieves, but maybe also motivate government powers-that-be to make some common sense revisions.

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