Pre-Need Security Administration to receive, share or register death records. When we consider that cybercrime has become more profitable than the drug trade, and with widely available funeral announcements, this creates the perfect scenario for criminals to strike. An individual’s digital estate is a prime target for identity theft and other types of financial and digital theft. that person to friends and family. In the first weeks of a passing, extended family and friends are not always aware, and can fall victim to cybercrimes. A common example is a criminal posting from the victim’s account about a problem and asking their family and friends to send money for help. All these crimes can cause families tremendous burden, stress and expense. Pre-need planning plays an important role The unfortunate reality is that criminals are typically ahead of the curve in exploiting vulnerabilities and finding new opportunities, and governments and law enforcement struggle to keep up. Individuals may feel overwhelmed by this reality, especially as they consider the vulnerability of their assets after death. As funeral homes advise clients in pre-need options, they can be a true advocate in protecting their clients by offering modern and innovative solutions to help safeguard How criminals are using the information they find Cybercriminals are seizing the opportunity to target digital estates, but what exactly are they doing and how are they doing it? Criminals with access to financial accounts can efficiently transfer and steal funds without raising flags. Similarly, stolen credit card numbers can be used by criminals targeting the deceased. Those are examples of just the low-hanging fruit for these criminals; more sophisticated forms of identity theft and social engineering can come into play. AARP reports that close to 800,000 deceased individuals are targeted for identity theft each year, also known as “ghosting.” That’s almost 2,200 a day and exponentially growing. Using only a name, address and birth date, criminals can purchase a Social Security number for as little as $10. From there, the criminal can proceed to open accounts and other services under a stolen identity. Criminals have also been known to hack into the social media accounts of the deceased and masquerade as 24 www.ogr.org | Summer 2021 clients’ digital assets and legacies. Christopher W. Huziak, CEO & founder of Final Security, is an Italian American technologist, businessman and entrepreneur. Huziak has over two decades of business, information technology and leadership experience in corporate, academic, healthcare and startup environments. Huziak is known for his ability to create, build and execute innovative companies, brands, products, solutions and forward-thinking ideas. To connect with Christopher, email him at partner@finalsecurity.co or call him at (844) 463-4625. OGR members are eligible for a 40% commission on Final Security’s Life plans. Learn more at finalsecurity.co and inquire about partnership at partner@finalsecurity.co.
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