Getting credit report of deceased...

[KJWhitt]

What is the name of your state? Texas
My father passed away six years ago. It has recently come to my attention that someone may be using his identity to obtain and use credit cards. I'd like to take a look at his credit report and see if it shows any account activity. How can I legally obtain a copy of his credit report? I don't know if it's relevant, but I was the named executor in his will. Thanks in advance for any assistance!

 

[Dandy Don]

You may not be able to purchase a copy of his credit report since that is illegal, but you need to be reporting the identity theft to the police and to the credit card company, and during the process of the investigation the credit card company might give it to you then.

 

[ecmst12]

Why would it be illegal, I thought deceased people no longer have the same privacy rights...

 

[KJWhitt]

Dandy Don - thanks for your response. You're probably right, I doubt the credit reporting companies would give me a copy. I'm wondering about the other reply and whether or not deceased people have the same rights. I guess I could ask a car salesman friend to pull up the report for me. Like, who's going to complain if I do that? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a dishonest person I just really NEED to see that report. If it should ever come up that I did this, how much jail time am I looking at?

 

[Ladynred]

Because you are not the person who's report you would be pulling you are not legally entitled to pull the report. What you will need to do is call the credit bureaus and ask them how you can find out if the SSN of your deceased father is being used fraudulently. You will probably have to send a copy of his death certificate to the bureaus and proof of his SSN.