June 2016

Beware of New Social Security Number Scam

Scammers are reportedly gathering information from funeral home websites or obituaries, finding names of recently deceased individuals and then contacting surviving family members by telephone posing as funeral home staff or funeral directors. The callers claim that the funeral home is in need of the surviving family member’s Social Security Number(s) in order to complete necessary paperwork. Thinking they are speaking with a funeral home representative, families may unknowingly be providing sensitive information to the scammers.

Criminals often try to use public information found on a company website, in an obituary or on a social media posting to launch these types of identity theft scams. They can be very convincing and often dupe families into providing personal information.

The Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS) will electronically provide the deceased’s Social Security Number to the Social Security Administration. In addition, the collection of survivors’ information is limited and usually does not include Social Security Numbers.

If you are suspicious or do not recognize the telephone number or the person you are speaking with, please end the call and call us back on our main line at (973) 627-1880. This is not an inconvenience to us and we would rather your information remain safe.