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Fraudsters are really good at capitalizing on the demise of their victims. (They usually don’t scrutinize when choosing their targets and will often use their own family members to make an illegal profit.) An article posted on Fox40.com tells about an elderly son who failed to report his mother’s death. (It’s highly doubtful that he forgot to do so.) As a result, he collected more than $250,000 in undeserved Social Security benefits.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), “deceased payee fraud” is one of the most common ways that people illegally collect Social Security benefits. In this case, because the agency was not notified of the fraudster’s mother’s death, he continued to receive a monthly check worth more than $1,500 deposited into a joint bank account. (Normally, the SSA is notified of a beneficiary’s death either by a funeral home, a state agency or a family member. If that doesn’t happen, this type of fraud can continue for a long time.)
The 72-year-old, who collected more than $257,959 over 16 years, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced.
If this man’s mom was alive today, she would most likely not approve of her son’s fraudulent actions. (Fortunately, the government has stepped in to help with devising an appropriate punishment.) The SSA works hard to prevent this type of fraud and it’s a given that prosecutors will make this man a model for discouraging similar behavior in others who are thinking about capitalizing on their victims’ demise.
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