notifying credit bureaus of loved one's death

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs

Wrapping up the loose ends of deceased family member can be a daunting task. Notifying the credit bureaus can often be an after thought or even over looked all together. But the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) wants consumers to be aware that deceased loved ones can be victims of identity theft, too. Follow these instructions in order to minimize the chance of identity theft of your deceased loved ones.

Notifying the Credit Bureaus of a Death
Follow these steps for notifying the credit bureaus of a family member’s death:
1. Request copies of the death certificate. You will send these to the credit bureaus (as well as any
creditors that the deceased may have, that are still unaware of the death).
2. Draft a notification letter. Utilize SCDCA’s sample letter for notifying the credit bureaus of
the death or draft a letter containing the following information:
a. Your name and contact information.
b. The deceased’s name, social security number, prior three addresses in
the past five years, date of birth, location of birth and date of death.
c. Specify your relationship to the deceased and provide supporting
documents, as required.
d. Ask that the credit bureau post on the decedent’s credit report:
“Deceased, Do Not Issue Credit.”
e. Request a current copy of the decedent’s credit report.
3. Send the notification letter and death certificate copy to the bureaus. Keep copies of your
originals and send the letters certified mail, return receipt requested to:
Equifax, Office of Consumer Affairs, PO Box 105139, Atlanta, GA 30348
Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013-9595
TransUnion, PO Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022
4. Review the credit report and ensure that all the accounts are marked as deceased. If they are
not, the process for notifying a creditor is similar to the process listed above. However, verify
what documentation may be required with individual creditors.

This site also has a form one can use.

Source: http://www.consumer.sc.gov/consumer/IdentityTheft/Documents/DeceasedLtrIns072613.pdf