Greg's Corner

Deceased man’s social media used in crypto scam

By Greg Collier

In today’s technological world, social media is crucial in helping us keep in touch with friends and family, even if they’re scattered across the globe. In some cases, social media also helps us keep the memories alive of a loved one that we’ve lost. However, with almost all things digital, not only can those memories be taken from us in an instant, but they can also be used to harm others, as today’s story shows.

A US Army veteran from California passed away around this time last year. Since then, hackers hijacked one of his social media accounts and blocked the accounts of his relatives. While posing as the deceased vet, the hackers started using the account to ask people to send money through a cryptocurrency scam. To make matters worse, the hackers have also erased all previous posts made by the veteran.

The veteran’s brother has tried contacting the platform where his brother’s account was, but so far, has not had any kind of official response. Now, the brother has filed a lawsuit against the platform since they allegedly haven’t responded to his requests.

Preserving a deceased family member’s social media presence can be a meaningful way to honor their memory. Here are some general steps you can take, but keep in mind that specific processes may vary depending on the platform.

Reach out to the social media platform’s support or customer service. Many platforms have a process for handling accounts of deceased individuals. This might involve providing proof of death, your relationship to the deceased, and other relevant information.

Facebook allows you to memorialize an account, turning it into a memorial page where friends and family can share memories. To do this, you can submit a memorialization request on Facebook.

Consider saving and archiving content from the deceased person’s social media accounts, such as photos, posts, and messages. This can be done by taking screenshots or using specific tools designed for this purpose.

The specific steps and features may change over time, so it’s a good idea to refer to the latest guidelines provided by the social media platforms in question.