# Social Security Dead Person Index

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-dead-person-index/56603>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 3, 2001, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-dead-person-index/56603 "2001-03-03T04:55:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-dead-person-index/56603/1 "2001-03-03T04:55:39Z")

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Recently I was reading thru this and I found several errors. My mother for instance according to SS died 6 years after she did. It looks like they put 1986 instead of 1980 I can see a 6 and 0 error.

But I also found a few more errors like my father was the oldest child and they show his brother and sister older than him.

They were immigrants and the records never were clear anyhow. I mean my father crossed off his real name Sava and wrote in Sam.

So just how accurate is this index and how fast do they put dead people on.

It list SS#s but I suppose that is OK as what can you really do with a dead persons SS# if it is in the dead persons database.

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-dead-person-index/56603/2 "2001-03-03T16:16:26Z")

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Well, it was kinda accurate for the info I looked at times, but,yes, some of the dates were off a bit. But on the website they have a link so you can submit the right information.

(Also, as a side note, every state I have looked at has a free online search for unclaimed property if you want to see if there is any for your family. Just try [http://www.google.com/](http://www.google.com/) Input ‘nameofyourstate unclaimed property search’ & you should find the site.)

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-dead-person-index/56603/3 "2001-03-03T18:06:51Z")

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So does anyone know how often this is updated?

Also could you use a dead person’s number for anything?