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Question: As executor of my loved one's estate, I am responsible for the task of dealing with his computer and his online life. I know he had email and dozens of accounts on all kinds of websites. Do we have to do anything to shut them down or does that happen automatically? I've also heard that a person's identity can be stolen after they've passed. Is this true? He had a will, but could his children's inheritance be at risk? How do I manage all this? I don't know where to begin.

 

 

Answer: Being given the responsibility of managing the computer and Internet life of a loved one who has passed away is a very solemn, important, yet surprisingly complex task. If you have not been given specific instructions, it may require a forensic investigation to be able to uncover the information you need. You need to determine the scope of the task in order to complete the process of protecting your loved one's privacy and personal data.

 

Unless you have gone through this experience yourself, it is difficult to appreciate the difficulty of this process. It cannot be delayed for weeks or months; the tasks must be completed promptly. It would be best to prepare for the inevitable while everyone is alive and in sound health. There isn't always the opportunity to tie up loose ends. Regrettably, any heir who did not plan ahead in this way wished they had. That is where compuKarma can help.

 

To begin, it is important to shut down all of his accounts; they are vulnerable because no one will be monitoring them regularly. Since they serve no future purpose, they should be both disabled and deleted. While some accounts may be disabled after a period of inactivity, that could be many months or years, if at all, and the risk is too high to ignore. Identity thieves often prefer to steal the identity of the deceased because fraud detection can take longer. Internet accounts are no less vulnerable to identity thieves.

 

One pointer is that you should plan to use some of the printed death certificates to gain access to their accounts. Some of the most security-conscious Internet companies will require an original document, particularly for paid email and web services. Others may only require a photocopy or scan. Once you have access to their primary email company, and their computers and devices, then you can commence investigating, through email and web history and favorites, compiling all the accounts you need to deal with, all the mailing lists you need to unsubscribe from, and all the data you wish to archive for his family. It is a very time-consuming process, and the effort you make is entirely your choice in how you wish to honor your loved one. If their primary email account was used for their communications with business entities, then you will be able to receive a confirmation message in most cases when you close an account. Some items, like the online accounts associated with their banks and credit cards, can be shut down at the same time as the accounts over the telephone.

 

There are a number of steps to managing the entire process. For each computer, you should create archives of family photos and personal files, remove all inappropriate material, and if the machine is being discarded, remove the hard drive and erase the information to prevent identity theft issues for the estate. For each mobile device, cease all automated text messages, shut down (or transfer) accounts, and if necessary, provide notification of his/her passing to friends and family. Finally, regarding the remainder of his/her Internet presence, close down or make arrangements for the continuation of their websites, create a memorial site to commemorate his/her life, and eventually shut down their email.

 

There are some companies in existence that claim to handle your Internet presence after you are gone. These firms offer very simple services that don't expand much beyond what you would take care of yourself with a telephone. At compuKarma, we take the care to treat your loved one with respect, with concern for the wishes of the deceased as well as their family.

 

Let this be a cautionary tale for us all. Irrespective of our views of the world, we know that our days in this life are finite. None of us wish to be a burden on our relatives in ways we hadn't imagined. Whether you are concerned for your Internet-savvy elderly relative, or want to be sure that your own affairs are in order, give us a call at compuKarma to help you organize your life.

 

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