• Discounts and special offers
  • Subscriber-only articles and interviews
  • Breaking news and trending topics

Already a subscriber?

By signing up, you accept Moneywise's Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.

Not interested ?

Social Security fraud

Per the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, E.W.’s body was discovered buried beneath six to eight feet of concrete in the basement of a Philadelphia home where she had lived. The victim’s full name was withheld by the attorney’s office.

The last time she was seen alive was on or about December 12, 2012, when she attended an appointment with a service provider that she’d visited regularly since 2004, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

E.W., who received disability insurance benefits due to an intellectual disorder, “did not appear” at her next appointment — allegedly scheduled for Jan. 2013 — and never contacted the health care provider again.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that E.W.’s remains were unearthed in Dec. 2022, a decade after she was last seen. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office and a forensic anthropologist examined E.W.’s remains and concluded the cause of death was blunt trauma to the head and neck and the manner of death was homicide.

The indictment against Sadowski accuses the 37-year-old of illegally accessing E.W.’s bank account — using her name, date of birth and Social Security number — to steal almost $100,000 in Social Security benefits for her own personal use.

If convicted, Sadowski faces a maximum possible sentence of 107 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $1,750,000 fine, and a $700 special assessment.

The Richest 1% Use An Advisor. Do you?

Wealthy people know that having money is not the same as being good with money. Advisor can help you shape your financial future and get connect with expert guidance . A trusted advisor helps you make smart choices about investments, retirement savings, and tax planning.

Try Now

Protect yourself from identity theft

As a formerly vulnerable and now deceased individual, E.W. may have been an easy target for identity theft and Social Security fraud. Everyone is susceptible to fraud, no matter how proactive you are at keeping your personal information safe.

Identity theft occurs “when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission,” per the Federal Trade Commission.

Typically, a fraudster would steal your name, address, credit card or bank account numbers, medical insurance account numbers, or like the E.W. case, your Social Security number and use them to:

  • Buy things with your credit cards;
  • Get new credit cards in your name;
  • Open accounts in your name;
  • Steal your Social Security benefits;
  • Steal your tax return; and
  • Get medical care.

There are things you can do to protect yourself and stay ahead of identity thieves. For instance, you should keep any financial records, Social Security and Medicare cards, as well as any other documents that have personal information in a safe place, like a locked drawer or safe. When you dispose of those documents, shred them or use a marker to block out any sensitive information.

To protect yourself online, you should always use a strong password with a mixture of letters, numbers and special characters — and change that password regularly. You can also make use of multi-factor authentication, which requires two or more credentials (prompting you to enter a passcode sent via email or text message or to scan your fingerprint or retina) to log into your account.

These strategies may stall fraudsters, but won’t necessarily stop them. It’s important to remember never to share your personal information with someone you don’t know or trust, even if they present you with an urgent problem or demand that needs your attention. Anyone could be a scammer trying to steal your identity.

Sponsored

Save big on car insurance with this simple, money-saving tip

Tired of overpaying for car insurance? Find affordable rates without the hassle. Media Alpha's comparison tool makes it easy to discover hidden savings and unlock better deals in minutes. Don’t wait—start saving money on your car insurance today. Visit now

Bethan Moorcraft is a reporter for Moneywise with experience in news editing and business reporting across international markets.

Disclaimer

The content provided on Moneywise is information to help users become financially literate. It is neither tax nor legal advice, is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to the data provided, the timeliness thereof, the results to be obtained by the use thereof or any other matter. Advertisers are not responsible for the content of this site, including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any advertiser product, please visit their website.