Mɔgɔ salen ka sosiyete ka kunnafonidilanw lakanani walima k’u hakili to a la ka ɲɛsin dusukasi nanbarakow ma¶

When a family member or close friend dies, their active social media profiles, email inboxes, and cloud storage accounts immediately become targets for organized cybercriminals. Scammers scrape public obituary notices and tribute posts within hours of a death to launch fraudulent funeral livestream links, duplicate GoFundMe campaigns, and account takeovers that exploit grieving friends and relatives. Knowing how to lock down a deceased loved one's digital presence, stop funeral scammers in real time, and submit official memorialization or permanent deletion requests protects both your loved one's legacy and their grieving community.

Aw bɛ o kɛ sisan¶

1. Do not log in using the deceased person's password to delete the account. Under computer crime and data privacy laws in many jurisdictions (including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in the United States and the Computer Misuse Act in the United Kingdom), logging into another person's account without explicit legal authorization can violate platform terms of service and trigger automated security lockouts that freeze the profile before you can download family photos.
2. Preserve physical access to the deceased person's smartphone and SIM card. Keep the deceased person's mobile phone charged and do not cancel their cellular phone service right away. If you deactivate their phone number, mobile carriers recycle and reassign that number within 30 to 90 days, allowing a stranger or identity thief to intercept SMS two-factor authentication (2FA) codes and hijack accounts.
3. Post an immediate bereavement scam warning on your own social media profile. Tag immediate family members and inform friends of the exact date, time, and physical location of the memorial service. State clearly that the family will never charge a fee or require credit card verification to watch a funeral livestream, and list the single verified link if a legitimate crowdfunding campaign exists.
4. Assign a trusted family friend to monitor tribute comments as a "digital usher." Scammers post fake livestream links and counterfeit fundraising pages in the comment sections of death announcements within minutes of publication. Having a designated friend hide, report, and block spam comments spares grieving next of kin from facing fraudsters on the day of the funeral.
5. Gather official documentation required by social media platforms. Locate a high-resolution scan or photograph of the official death certificate (or coroner's certificate, obituary link, or memorial program for temporary memorialization) along with proof of your authority as next of kin or estate executor (such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, power of attorney, or letters testamentary).
6. Submit official Memorialization or Account Removal requests directly to each platform. Decide with your family whether you want the profile converted into a permanent memorial tribute (where the word "Remembering" appears next to their name and nobody can log in) or permanently deleted from the internet, then submit the verified request through each platform's dedicated bereavement portal.

flowchart TD
    Start["Death of a Loved One"] --> DeviceCheck["Secure Physical Phone and Keep SIM Active"]
    DeviceCheck --> ScamGuard["Post Public Warning Against Fake Funeral Livestreams and Crowdfunding"]
    ScamGuard --> Decision{"Family Decision: Memorialize or Delete?"}
    Decision -->|Preserve Profile and Photos as Tribute| MemCheck{"Does Platform Support Memorialization?"}
    MemCheck -->|Yes: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Apple| SubmitMem["Submit Obituary or Death Certificate via Memorialization Form"]
    MemCheck -->|No: X, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest| SubmitDeact["Download Public Media and Submit Verified Deactivation Request"]
    Decision -->|Permanently Remove Account| DocGather["Gather Certified Death Certificate + Proof of Legal Authority"]
    DocGather --> SubmitDel["Submit Official Bereavement Deletion Form to Platform"]
    SubmitMem --> LockCheck["Profile Locked: 'Remembering' Badge Added and Login Disabled"]
    SubmitDeact --> GoneCheck["Account Permanently Closed and Removed from Search"]
    SubmitDel --> GoneCheck

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Understanding the post-mortem threat: how bereavement scammers operate¶

Cybercriminals use automated web scrapers to monitor online newspaper obituaries, funeral home websites, and public social media hashtags such as #RIP, . #GoneTooSoon, . #CelebrationOfLife, ani #FuneralService. Within hours of a family posting a tribute or announcement, criminal syndicates launch four distinct attacks targeting the deceased person's social graph.

1. The fake funeral livestream credit card scam¶

This is one of the fastest-growing bereavement scams reported to the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the United Kingdom's Action Fraud, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). - How the attack works: Scammers create a Facebook Page, Instagram profile, or Event page using the deceased person's stolen profile photograph and full name, followed by words like "Memorial Service Live Stream" or "Funeral Broadcast HD." - The ambush: Automated bot accounts reply to every grieving comment on the family's real announcement post, pasting a link to an external website or fake Facebook group claiming to broadcast the funeral live for friends and relatives who cannot attend in person. - The theft: When a mourner clicks the link during the actual hour of the funeral, the webpage displays a fake video player that asks the viewer to "Register for Free" or "Verify Your Identity with a Credit Card ($0.00 or $1.00 charge) to Watch the Broadcast." Victims who enter their card numbers have their accounts drained immediately or enrolled in recurring offshore subscription charges, while no livestream ever plays.

2. Cloned crowdfunding and fake memorial fund fraud¶

When a sudden death occurs, especially involving a young person, an accident, or a parent with young children, friends naturally look for ways to contribute to funeral expenses or a family support fund. - How the attack works: Fraudsters copy the exact text and family photographs from a legitimate obituary or real crowdfunding page and launch counterfeit campaigns on GoFundMe, Spotfund, PayPal Pools, or Venmo/CashApp handles using a nearly identical name. - The ambush: The scammers direct-message the deceased person's contacts list or reply to tribute posts asking for urgent donations to "cover remaining burial plot costs before Friday." - The defense: If the family creates an official memorial fund or charity donation link, every family member should share the exact same URL and state explicitly: "This is our family's only authorized memorial fund. Do not send money to any other link, CashApp tag, or direct message request."

3. Dormant account takeover ("ghost hijacking")¶

An unmonitored social media profile is an ideal target for account takeover because the rightful owner will never notice suspicious login alerts or password reset emails. - How the attack works: Attackers check leaked credential databases from historic data breaches to see if the deceased person reused a password across their email or social media accounts. Alternatively, if the family cancels the deceased person's mobile phone plan, the attacker waits until the phone number is reassigned or ports it to intercept SMS recovery codes. - The ambush: Once inside the deceased person's Facebook, Instagram, or X account, the scammer either quietly messages close friends asking for emergency loans or suddenly changes the profile picture and uses the trusted, years-old account to peddle cryptocurrency scams, fake event tickets, or malicious links. Seeing messages arrive from a recently deceased friend's profile causes severe emotional trauma to surviving loved ones.

4. Post-mortem identity theft ("ghosting")¶

Beyond social media, identity thieves harvest three key data points from well-meaning tribute posts and public profiles: the deceased person's full legal name (including middle name and maiden name), exact date of birth, and city of birth or residence. Combined with funeral home notices that list surviving parents' and spouses' names, criminals have enough personal identifiable information (PII) to apply for fraudulent credit cards, tax refunds, or government benefits before credit bureaus and government registries process the death certificate.

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Hakilijigin ni bɔli banbali: ka a latigɛ min bɛnnen don i ka denbaya ma¶

Sani i ka sɛbɛnfura ofisiyaliw ci réseaux sociaux ma, i ka denbaya kɔnɔmɔgɔ jɔnjɔnw ni nafolotigi lajɛ walasa k’a latigɛ ni jatebɔsɛbɛn kelen-kelen bɛɛ ka kan ka hakilijigin na walima ka bɔ yen kudayi. Ni jatebɔsɛbɛn dɔ bɔra kudayi, a fotow, a wideyow, a kumakan cikanw ani a ka kuma fɔlenw tɛ se ka sɔrɔ kokura nɛɛma waati kunkurunnin kɔfɛ.

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Dusukasi taabolo minnu bɛ kɛ plateforme kelen-kelen bɛɛ la: jatew hakili jigincogo walima u datugucogo¶

Fɛnɲɛnɛmako tɔnbaw bɛ dusukasi jɛkulu kɛrɛnkɛrɛnnenw mara walasa ka somɔgɔw ka ɲininiw ɲɛnabɔ minnu bɛ balo la. Aw kana aw jigi da abada kiliyanw dɛmɛni bɛɛ lajɛlen ka barokɛminɛnw kan; baara kɛ ni ciyɛn ni hakilijigin baarakɛcogo tigitigiw ye minnu ɲɛfɔlen don jukɔrɔ.

1. Facebook (Mɛta) .¶

Facebook bɛ su kɔfɛ sugandiliw bɛɛ lajɛlen di, ka danfara don Hakilijigin (min bɛ ɲɛnabɔ Legacy Contact fɛ ni mɔgɔ sugandira ka kɔn saya ɲɛ) ani Bɔli banbali mɔgɔ salen dɔ ye cɛ.

Facebook hakilijigin ni Legacy Contacts bɛ baara kɛ cogo min na¶

• Ni Facebook ye hakilijigin ɲinini dɔ baara, daɲɛ Hakilijigin bɛ bɔ mɔgɔ salen tɔgɔ sanfɛ.
• Mɔgɔ si tɛ se ka don jatebɔsɛbɛnba kɔnɔ, hali n’a bɛ tɔgɔlasɛbɛn dɔn.
• Ni mɔgɔ salen ye Legacy Contact dɔ sigi u ka Meta Accounts Center kɔnɔ sani a ka sa, o Legacy Contact bɛ se ka:
• Aw bɛ bonyali sɛbɛn dɔ sɛbɛn min sirilen bɛ hakilijigin sɛbɛn sanfɛ (misali la, walasa ka sudon baara kunnafoniw di ɲɔgɔn ma walima ka dɛmɛnjɛkulu dɔ ka ladɛrɛsi sɛgɛsɛgɛlen dɔ di ɲɔgɔn ma).
• Profil ja ni a ɲɛda foto kura ye.
• Jaabi di teriya ɲinini kura ma ka bɔ i dɔnbaga kɔrɔw yɔrɔ minnu bɛ ka o kunnafoni ɲini.
• Mɔgɔ salen ka forobaciyɛn sɛbɛnw, a ka fotow ani a ka profil kunnafoniw marayɔrɔ dɔ telesarse (ni mɔgɔ salen ye yɔrɔ lajɛ min bɛ sira di kunnafoniw telesarseli ma).
• A ɲini ka jatebɔsɛbɛn bɔ yen kudayi.
• Legacy Contact TƐ SE ka min kɛ: Legacy Contact tɛ se ka don a ka jatebɔsɛbɛn fɔlɔ kɔnɔ, a tɛ se ka Facebook Messenger ka cikan kɛrɛnkɛrɛnnenw kalan, a tɛ se ka mɔgɔ salen ka sɛbɛn tɛmɛnenw sɛmɛntiya walima k’u bɔ yen, wa a tɛ se ka teri kɔrɔw bɔ yen.

Fɛn minnu bɛ ci senfɛ-senfɛ Facebook kan¶

1. Ka Facebook jatebɔsɛbɛn dɔ hakili jigin: Aw ye Facebook dɛmɛyɔrɔ sɛbɛn ɲini min tɔgɔ ye ko "Hakilijigin ɲinini" (facebook.com/help/contact/651319028315841). Aw bɛ mɔgɔ salen tɔgɔ sɛbɛn, a sara don min na, ani ka skan walima ladɛrɛsi dɔ bila ka taa a ka saya sɛbɛn ofisiyali dɔ la, sayasɛbɛn dɔ kɔnɔ, walima sudon porogaramu dɔ la.
2. Ka mɔgɔ salen dɔ ka Facebook jatebɔsɛbɛn bɔ kudayi: Aw ye Facebook Dɛmɛyɔrɔ sɛbɛn ɲini min tɔgɔ ye ko "Delili kɛrɛnkɛrɛnnen min bɛ kɛ dɔgɔtɔrɔso la walima mɔgɔ salen ka jatebɔsɛbɛn" (facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480). Aw ka kan ka nin bila:
3. Dalilu min b’a jira ko i ye denbaya kɔnɔmɔgɔ ye walima sariyatigi ye (wolosɛbɛn, furusɛbɛn, setigiya, walima testament laban ani testament).
4. Mɔgɔ salen ka sayasɛbɛn ofisiyali (walima a ka sayasɛbɛn/hakilijiginsɛbɛn min faralen don ɲɔgɔn kan ni fanga daliluw ye).
5. Ka AI ka hakilijiginw ni wolodon hakilijiginw dabila joona: Ni i ye jatebɔsɛbɛn in hakili jigin, o bɛ Facebook bali a yɛrɛma ka "Wish [Name] a Happy Birthday" kunnafoniw ci u teriw ka lisi ma.

2. Instagram (Meta) ye.¶

Instagram bɛ dɛmɛ don konte hakilijigin ni bɔli sɛgɛsɛgɛlen na denbaya kɔnɔmɔgɔw ye, hali n’a t’a to sisan Legacy Contact dɔ ka se ka kunnafoni kuraw ɲɛnabɔ walima k’u fara Instagram hakilijigin grid kan.

Instagram Memorialization bɛ baara kɛ cogo min na¶

• Daɲɛ Hakilijigin bɛ bila mɔgɔ salen tɔgɔ kɛrɛfɛ u ka Instagram kan.
• Donni bɛɛ bɛ dabila kudayi, o bɛ jatebɔsɛbɛn lakana ka bɔ hakɛriw ni mɔgɔ minnu bɛ a yɛrɛ kɛ i n’a fɔ a bɛ kɛ cogo min na.
• Postes, Reels ani profile foto minnu bɛ yen, olu bɛ to ka ye lamɛnnikɛlaw fɛ, u ni minnu tilalen don ɲɔgɔn fɛ, ani jatebɔsɛbɛn ka danbe sigicogo (Foroba walima Kɛrɛnkɛrɛnnenya la) bɛ datugu a nɔ na kudayi.
• Instagram jatew hakilijiginlenw tɛ bɔ Explore tab kɔnɔ walima jatebɔsɛbɛnw hakilinaw kɔnɔ.

Taamaʃyɛn-sɛbɛn cilenw Instagram kama¶

1. Ka Instagram Account dɔ hakili jigin: Aw ye sɛbɛn ofisiyali ci "Request to Memorialize an Instagram Account" (help.instagram.com/contact/452224988254813). A tigi tɔgɔ dafalen di, Instagram handle (@username), saya don, ani ladɛrɛsi min bɛ taa ɛntɛrinɛti kan sayasɛbɛn dɔ kan, kibaruya dɔ, walima sayasɛbɛn foto dɔ.
2. Ka mɔgɔ salen dɔ ka Instagram Account bɔ: Aw ye sɛbɛn ofisiyali ci "Request to Remove a Deceased Person's Account on Instagram" (help.instagram.com/contact/1474899482730688). Aw ka kan ka ninnu di:
3. Mɔgɔ salen ka wolosɛbɛn walima a ka saya sɛbɛn ofisiyali.
4. Dalilu min bɛ sigida sariya kɔnɔ, min b’a jira ko i ye denbaya kɔnɔmɔgɔ ye (bangebaga, furuɲɔgɔn, balimakɛ, den) walima u ka nafolo ciden yamaruyalen.

3. X (kɔrɔlen Twitter) .¶

X tɛ ta hakilijigin kɛcogo dɔ di wa a tɛna donni sira di abada jatebɔsɛbɛn dɔ kɔnɔ i ni mɔgɔ salen cɛsira mana kɛ min o min ye. O nɔ na, ​​X bɛ sira di denbaya kɔnɔmɔgɔw walima nafolotigiw ma minnu sɛgɛsɛgɛra, u ka se ka baarakɛla salen dɔ ka kunnafoni di baara dabila kudayi ani k’a bɔ yen.

Senna-tɛgɛrɛ-cikan bilali sen kan X ye¶

1. Sani i ka deactivation ɲini, i bolo ka forobaciyɛn, fotow, walima wideyow fililenw mara i ka profil kɔnɔ, i ka denbaya b’a fɛ ka minnu mara, bawo deactivation bɛ u bɔ yen kudayi.
2. Taga X Dɛmɛyɔrɔ la, mɔgɔ dogoyɔrɔ la (help.x.com/forms/privacy) ani ka "Ne b'a fɛ ka baarakɛla salen walima sebali dɔ ka jatebɔsɛbɛn dabila ɲini." sugandi.**
3. Aw ye a di @username ka mɔgɔ salen in ta ani i ka ladɛrɛsi kunnafoniw.
4. Ni i ye sɛbɛn fɔlɔ di, X ka Lakanali ni Lakanali jɛkulu bɛna cikanw di i ma imɛri la walasa ka sɛbɛn saba wajibiyalenw bila:
5. Mɔgɔ salen ka sayasɛbɛn ofisiyali kopi dɔ.
6. I ka gofɛrɛnaman ye foto ID (i n’a fɔ bolifɛntigiyasɛbɛn walima pasipɔri) kopi dɔ.
7. Sɛbɛn min bolonɔ bilala a la, i tɔgɔ fɔlɔ ni i tɔgɔ laban, i ka imeyili ladɛrɛsi, i ka ladɛrɛsi kunnafoniw bɛ sɔrɔ sisan, i ni baarakɛla salen cɛsira, ani wale ɲininen ("I ka nin jatebɔsɛbɛn in bali").

4. LinkedIn ka baarakɛyɔrɔ¶

Ikomi LinkedIn ka kunnafonidilanw bɛ bɔ kosɛbɛ ɲininikɛlanw jaabiw la, wa u bɛ ɲɔgɔndan ɲininiw sɔrɔ otomatiki la, baara ɲinini cikanw, ani "Fɔli la [Tɔgɔ] u ka baara sankɔrɔta la" kunnafoniw, ka baarakɛla salen dɔ ka kunnafoni to baara la, o bɛ se ka kɛ sababu ye ka baarakɛɲɔgɔnw ni u somɔgɔw ɲagami dimi na. LinkedIn bɛ Hakilijigin ani Jatew dadon fila bɛɛ di.

Senna-tɛgɛrɛ-sɛbɛn cilen LinkedIn kama¶

1. Aw ye nin kunnafoni duuru ninnu lajɛ sani aw ka sɛbɛnfura da wuli:
2. Mɔgɔ in tɔgɔ dafalen ani a ka LinkedIn profile URL tigitigi (linkedin.com/in/...).
3. Aw ni tɔnden salen cɛsira.
4. Mɔgɔ in ka imeyilɛri (ni a dɔnna), u sara don min na, ani u ye baara kɛ sosiyete laban min na, o tɔgɔ.
5. Ladɛrɛsi min bɛ taa saya sɛbɛn ofisiyali dɔ la walima sayasɛbɛn PDF scan.
6. Sariyasɛbɛn minnu b’a jira ko yamaruya bɛ i bolo ka baara kɛ mɔgɔ salen tɔgɔ la (n’i b’a fɛ ka jatebɔsɛbɛn da kudayi sanni k’a hakili jigin).
7. Ni sariya sira fɛ fanga b'i bolo ka baara kɛ nafolo tɔgɔ la: I ka LinkedIn Dɛmɛ sɛbɛn ci "Memorialize or close the account of a deceased member" (linkedin.com/help/linkedin/ask/ts-rdmlp). I bɛ se ka Memorialize (min bɛ "In remembrance" badge bila u ka kunkanko jukɔrɔ, ka dondaw datugu, ka baara sankɔrɔta/wolodon ɲininkaliw bɛɛ jɔ) walima Close Account (min bɛ profil dogo kudayi ani k’a bɔ yen) sugandi.
8. Ni i ye baarakɛɲɔgɔn ye, i terikɛ, walima i ka kalandenɲɔgɔn ye min tɛ ni sariyasɛbɛnw ye: I ka LinkedIn Dɛmɛ sɛbɛn ci "Report a deceased LinkedIn member" (linkedin.com/help/linkedin/ask/ts-rmdmlp) ni foroba sayasɛbɛn dɔ ladɛrɛsi ye. LinkedIn bɛna o kunnafoni dogo foroba ɲinini na ani ka kunnafoniw jɔ k’a sɔrɔ a bɛ jatebɔsɛbɛn lakana fo denbaya kɔnɔmɔgɔw ka se ka u bolo da.

5. TikTok, YouTube (Google), Apple ani Snapchat¶

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Sariya sariyaw don mɔgɔ salen ka jatew kɔnɔ¶

Ni mɔgɔ kanulen dɔ sara, ka daɲɛ dogolenw kaye to u ka tabali kan, furuɲɔgɔnma, bangebagaw walima den fanba minnu bɛ balo la, olu ka hakilina ye ka don u ka imɛri ni u ka sosiyete ka kunnafonidilanw kɔnɔ k’a ɲɛsin u yɛrɛ ma. Hali ni a bɛ faamuya, o kɛli bɛ farati saba lase mɔgɔ ma minnu bɛ se ka kɛ ani sariya siratigɛ la, i ka kan ka minnu jateminɛ koɲuman.

1. Nanbarako dabɔli otomatiki ani jatew jɔli¶

Bi sosiyete ka kunnafonidilanw ni imayili dilanbagaw bɛ baara kɛ ni kɛwale lakanani algorisimuw ye. N’i ​​donna mɔgɔ salen ka jatebɔsɛbɛn kɔnɔ ka bɔ so wɛrɛ la, ɔridinatɛri kura kɔnɔ, walima Wi-Fi réseau kura dɔ la, k’a daminɛ o yɔrɔnin bɛɛ ka sɛbɛnmarayɔrɔw telesarse, ka imayili ladɛrɛsi caman cili, walima ka wari sarali kartiw bɔ ɲɔgɔn na, o yɔrɔ la, o yɔrɔ in ka otomatiki lafasali sira bɛ o lajɛ in jira iko jatebɔsɛbɛn juguya. Plateforme bɛna jatebɔsɛbɛn datugu o yɔrɔnin bɛɛ, ka biometriki wideyow selfie ɲɛnama ɲini walima lakana kilisi sɛgɛsɛgɛli min tɛ se ka dafa tugun.

2. Ka nafolo walima sariya daliluw tiɲɛ¶

If the person died as a result of a motor vehicle crash, workplace accident, medical malpractice, or suspected crime, or if there is any potential dispute over their will or estate, logging into their accounts alters digital metadata ("last login" timestamps and read receipts). Defense attorneys or probate courts can challenge the authenticity of messages or financial records if someone logged in after the time of death.

3. Statutory fiduciary access laws (RUFADAA and global equivalents)¶

• In the United States: Nearly all 50 states have enacted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA). Under RUFADAA, a three-tier legal hierarchy governs who can access a deceased person's digital accounts:
• Tier 1 (Online Tools): Instructions the user set directly inside a platform's official legacy tool (such as Facebook's Legacy Contact, Google's Inactive Account Manager, or Apple's Digital Legacy Contact) legally override conflicting instructions in a paper will.
• Tier 2 (Will, Trust, or Power of Attorney): If the user did not use an online tool, explicit authorization written in their Last Will and Testament or Living Trust governs whether the executor can access the content of their electronic communications.
• Tier 3 (Terms of Service): If neither an online tool nor a will mentions digital assets, the platform's Terms of Service govern, which usually grant the executor a "catalog" of communications (who emailed whom and when) or account closure, but not the private content of messages without a court order.
• In the United Kingdom, Canada, European Union, and Australia: Data protection laws (such as the UK/EU General Data Protection Regulation, which generally ceases to apply to deceased individuals in the UK and most EU member states except where national laws specify posthumous rights, such as France's Loi pour une République numérique or Italy's Privacy Code) interact with national probate and computer misuse statutes. Estate executors who holds formal Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration should always use the platform's official fiduciary request channels rather than covertly guessing passwords.

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Copy-and-paste scripts to protect your family from bereavement scams¶

Use these ready-to-share templates on the day a death occurs so grieving relatives do not have to draft security warnings from scratch.

Script 1: Public bereavement scam warning (to include at the bottom of your funeral announcement post)¶

Important security note for friends and family: Scammers routinely create fake profiles and post fraudulent livestream links on funeral announcements. Please know that our family will never ask you to enter a credit card number, pay a fee, or register on an external website to view [Name]'s memorial service. If anyone sends you a friend request pretending to be [Name] or posts a comment with a livestream or donation link that does not come directly from [Name of Verified Family Member / Official Funeral Home Website], please do not click it. Report and block the profile immediately.

Script 2: Instructions for your designated "digital usher" (family friend moderating comments)¶

"Thank you for helping our family guard [Name]'s tribute posts this week. Could you please check the comments on our announcement posts every couple of hours, especially on the morning of the service? If you see any comment from an unknown account saying 'Watch the funeral live here' or pasting a link to a site or Telegram/Facebook group, please take a screenshot, click Hide comment or Delete comment immediately, and report the commenter for scam/impersonation."

Script 3: Formal letter to request closure of smaller online accounts without bereavement webforms¶

Subject: Formal Notification of Death and Account Closure Request: [Full Legal Name of Deceased]

To the Privacy, Trust & Safety, and Bereavement Team,

I am writing as the [surviving spouse / parent / adult child / court-appointed executor of the estate] of [Full Legal Name of Deceased], who passed away on [Date of Death].

Please accept this formal request to permanently close their user account associated with the username/handle [Username/URL] and the email address [Deceased's Email Address], and to cancel any recurring subscriptions associated with this profile.

Attached to this message are: 1. A copy of the official Certificate of Death (with sensitive national identification numbers redacted). 2. Documentation verifying my legal relationship and authority to act on behalf of the deceased ([Marriage Certificate / Birth Certificate / Letters Testamentary]).

Ni kɔnɔnajɛya ye, [Your Full Name] [Your Relationship to the Deceased] [Your Phone Number and Mailing Address]

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Complete post-mortem digital security checklist¶

Work through this checklist over the first 14 to 30 days after a loved one's passing:

• Secure physical devices: Place the deceased person's smartphone, tablet, laptop, and any hardware security keys in a locked drawer or safe inside the executor's home.
• Check for a digital legacy binder or password manager emergency kit: Look in their home safe or filing cabinet for a printed 1Password Emergency Kit, Bitwarden recovery sheet, Apple Legacy Contact Access Key, or written list of recurring bills.
• Keep the primary email inbox and mobile SIM card active during probate: Do not close their Gmail, Outlook, or iCloud email or cancel their cell phone number until all bank accounts, tax filings, utility accounts, and social media closures are finalized (typically 6 to 12 months). You can downgrade the mobile plan to the lowest voice/text tier to save money while keeping the phone number under family control.
• Audit bank and credit card statements for recurring digital subscriptions: Check the last 3 months of bank and credit card statements (plus Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and PayPal recurring billing) to identify and cancel streaming services, cloud storage, Patreon memberships, and software subscriptions.
• Notify the major credit bureaus to place a "Deceased Alert" and credit freeze: In the United States, send a certified copy of the death certificate to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion requesting an immediate "Deceased, Do Not Issue Credit" flag on their credit file. In the United Kingdom, use the Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) and notify Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion UK. In Canada, notify Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada.
• Memorialize or close major social media accounts: Submit verified forms for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Pinterest, and Snapchat after saving public family photos.
• Pre-plan your own accounts today: Open your settings on Facebook/Instagram (Accounts Center > Personal Details > Account Ownership and Control > Memorialization), Apple (Settings > [Your Name] > Sign-In & Security > Legacy Contact), and Google (myaccount.google.com/inactive) to designate a trusted Legacy Contact.

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Ɲininkali minnu bɛ kɛ tuma caman na¶

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Sosow sɛgɛsɛgɛra¶

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC, Etazuni): Ladilikan minnu bɛ di mɔgɔw ma nanbarakɛlaw kan minnu bɛ denbaya dusukasilenw laɲini, sudon livestream nkalonmaw, ani ka jatew datugu saya kɔfɛ.
• Meta Platforms (Facebook ani Instagram Dɛmɛnyɔrɔw): Jatew hakilijiginw, Legacy Contact Permissions, ani Jatebɔsɛbɛnw bɔli ɲinini mɔgɔ salen dɔ ye.
• Google Jate Dɛmɛ (Duniɲa): Jatebɔsɛbɛn ɲɛmɔgɔ min tɛ baara kɛ ani ka ɲinini kɛ ka ɲɛsin baarakɛla salen dɔ ka jatebɔsɛbɛn ma.
• Apple Support (International): Cogo min na i bɛ se ka Legacy Contact fara i ka Apple ID kan ani ka don ɲini denbaya kɔnɔmɔgɔ salen dɔ ka Apple Account kɔnɔ.
• LinkedIn Help and X Help Center: LinkedIn mɔgɔ salen dɔ ka jatebɔsɛbɛn hakilijagabɔ walima a datugu ani Ka baarakɛla salen ka X Jatebɔsɛbɛn baarakɛbali.
• Sariya Komisiɔn kelen (Etazuni): Danɲɛnabɔli kelen-kelen sɔrɔli sariya kura lajɛlen (RUFADAA) Summary and Fiduciary Hierarchy.
• Jamana ka Sibɛri lakanani baarada ani walew nanbara (NCSC, Angletɛri): Bereavement Impersonation Fraud ani ka nizɛri identitéw lakana saya kɔfɛ.

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Gafe minnu bɛ tali kɛ o ko la¶

• Sosiyete ka kunnafonidilanw tacogo ni u tiɲɛni
• Sosiyete ka kunnafonidilanw phishing ani mɔgɔ yɛrɛ kɛli nanbarako
• Ɛntɛrinɛti kan mɔgɔw tɔɔrɔli, doxxing ani ɛntɛrinɛti kan
• Kɔnɔkow minnu tɛ sariya kɔnɔ ani minnu bɛ kojugu kɛ, olu fɔli
• Denbaya ka kɔrɔtɔko labɛnni
• Kɔrɔtɔko nimɔrɔw