If you've just lost someone, here are the three accounts to lock down right away: their credit at all three bureaus, their primary email, and their bank accounts and cards. Freeze those first and you close the doors thieves use most. Everything else can wait a few days; these three can't.

Identity theft against people who have recently died is common, and it moves fast. Obituaries, public records, and data brokers hand criminals a name, an address, and a date of death, and a Social Security number is often not far behind. The good news is that a focused first move shuts down most of the risk. This is the short triage list, in the order that matters.

Why fraud hits the recently deceased

It takes weeks for a death to filter through to banks, credit bureaus, and government databases. That lag is the opening. During those weeks a thief can open a credit card, file a fake tax refund, or drain an account before anyone notices, and the family often doesn't find out until a collections notice or a strange statement arrives months later. Acting in the first week, while you're already gathering documents, is the single best thing you can do to prevent it.

You don't need everything resolved at once. You need these three accounts frozen.

Account 1: Credit at all three bureaus

This is the most important freeze, because a thief's favorite move is opening new credit in a dead person's name. Notify all three credit bureaus of the death and ask them to place a deceased flag on the file. That flag tells lenders no new credit should be issued.

• Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each accept a death notification. You typically send a copy of the death certificate and proof you're the executor or surviving spouse. Notifying one bureau does not notify the others, so contact all three.
• Ask each bureau to add a deceased alert and to send you a copy of the credit report. The report is useful twice over: it shows every open account you'll need to close, and it's where you'll spot fraud if any new accounts appear later.
• The Social Security Administration also reports deaths to the bureaus, but that can take time. Don't wait for it.

One report pulled now becomes your master list of the person's debts and cards, which feeds straight into the rest of the estate work.

Account 2: The primary email account

Email is the master key, and people forget it. A thief who controls the inbox can reset the password on almost every other account, because that's where the reset links go. Securing the primary email account early protects the bank, the brokerage, and everything else behind a login.

• If you can get into the phone or already know the password, change it and turn on two-factor authentication tied to a number you control.
• If you can't get in, use the provider's deceased-user or legacy process to secure or close the account. Don't leave an open inbox sitting unattended for months.
• Watch the inbox before you close it. Statements, renewal notices, and bills all land there, and they tell you what other accounts exist.

For a fuller walkthrough of accessing email and other online accounts, see our guide on digital assets after death.

Account 3: Bank accounts and debit/credit cards

Open cards and a checking account with autopay are the easiest things for a thief to use and the easiest for ordinary charges to keep draining. Notify the bank of the death and lock down the cards.

• Tell each bank and card issuer about the death so they can flag the accounts. Ask them to stop new charges on debit and credit cards.
• Do not simply empty a sole account and walk away. In most cases the money belongs to the estate and should move through a proper estate account, not a relative's personal account. Closing or draining too early creates problems for the estate accounting later.
• Cancel recurring autopay only after you've noted what each one was, so you don't lose track of a bill that still needs handling.

Joint accounts with a surviving spouse usually stay open, but tell the bank anyway so the deceased person's cards and online access are shut off.

After the big three

Once those three are frozen, the urgency drops and you can work at a calmer pace. Next steps usually include reporting the death to the Social Security Administration, adding the name to the Direct Marketing Association's deceased do-not-contact list, and watching for a fraudulent tax return at filing time. Our broader guide on protecting a deceased loved one from identity theft covers those in detail, including credit and ChexSystems protocols.

How Sunset helps

Freezing accounts is the defensive half of estate settlement. The other half is finding everything the person left behind and moving it to the right people. Sunset helps families find the assets and accounts a loved one had, handle the probate paperwork their state requires, open an FDIC-insured estate account so money is held and moved safely instead of through a personal account, and transfer what remains to the heirs. More than 10,000 families have used Sunset, and it's free to families. If you're not sure which accounts exist or where to start, we can help you build the full picture.

Frequently asked questions

How do I freeze a deceased person's credit?
Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately and ask each to place a deceased flag on the file. You'll usually send a copy of the death certificate and proof you're the executor or surviving spouse. Request a copy of the credit report at the same time so you have a list of every open account.

Do I have to notify all three credit bureaus?
Yes. Notifying one does not notify the others. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion individually to make sure a deceased alert is on all three files.

Should I close the deceased person's bank account right away?
Notify the bank promptly so cards and online access are shut off, but don't drain a sole account into a personal one. That money usually belongs to the estate and should move through an estate account. Closing too early can create accounting problems later.

How long does identity theft risk last after a death?
The highest-risk window is the first several weeks to a few months, before the death is reflected across banks, bureaus, and government systems. Freezing the key accounts early closes most of that window.

What if I find fraudulent accounts opened in the deceased person's name?
Report each one to the lender and to the credit bureaus, and file a report at IdentityTheft.gov. The credit report you pulled when you placed the deceased flag is your starting point for spotting anything that doesn't belong.

Start with these three today

You can't do everything in the first week, and you shouldn't try. Freeze the credit at all three bureaus, secure the primary email, and lock down the bank cards. Those three moves stop the fraud that hurts families most. When you're ready for the rest, Sunset is here to help you settle the estate from start to finish, free of charge.