Until the death registry becomes more comprehensive, the best thing you can do is send a copy of the deceased’s death certificate to all three major credit bureaus, as well as the social security administration. “If a loved one dies, immediately freeze their credit reports,” says Mitic. “Contact all lenders, and then get a credit report for the person who passed away and make sure each credit report that’s active and open receives written correspondence that the person is deceased.”

And before worrying about identity theft in the afterlife, keep tabs on how you share personal details in the current one. “Don’t just share information willy nilly, but ask [which] companies will get access to it, how will they protect it, why they want it and how it will be disposed of,” says Foley. “There has to be a legitimate reason, like because of a tax requirement or federal law. That’s scary if a person doesn’t know the answer to those questions. And if they don’t, how will they protect your information?”