By Jordan King
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A woman who was incorrectly declared dead by Social Security found her bank accounts frozen, her medical aid plan closed and a follow-up surgery appointment canceled.
Christine Rowe, from Littleton, Colorado, only discovered what had happened after she tried to log into her bank accounts.
When she subsequently called her bank and her call was passed to a supervisor, they reportedly told her: "I'm sorry, but you're deceased, your accounts are closed."
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The 77-year-old eventually went to the bank's branch and showed the supervisor identity documents to prove who she was before her accounts were reopened.
Rowe spoke to 9News' Steve On Your Side, an investigative segment, about her nightmare.
She said: "According to Social Security, I am deceased. My heirs know that I'm alive. And I plan to stay that way for quite some time."
She also told how her Kaiser Medicare plan was canceled in a letter addressed to "the Estate of Christine Rowe."
A photograph of a letter dated May 10 reads: "Medicare recently informed us of the death of Christine Rowe. We're very sorry for your loss and understand this is a difficult time."
Rowe said she eventually went to a local Social Security Administration office, where the worker could not tell her how her death was reported to it.
The only information she was given was that the date of her supposed death was October 31 last year—the same date listed in the Medicare letter for when her plan ended.
Rowe, who was told the problem would be fixed, said she is still worried about finding that other accounts have been closed.
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She said: "Another fear is the subtle things, people that I'm not remembering to contact. Like is my driver's license valid? Is my car insurance valid?"
The Social Security Administration reportedly told Steve On Your Side it could not explain what happened in Rowe's case for privacy reasons.
A spokesperson was quoted as saying: "Deaths are reported to Social Security primarily from the states but also from other sources, including family members, funeral homes, federal agencies and financial institutions.
"If a person suspects that they have been incorrectly listed as deceased on their Social Security record, they should contact their local Social Security office as soon as possible. They can locate their nearest Social Security office at https://www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/.
"They should be prepared to bring at least one piece of current (not expired) original form of identification. Social Security takes immediate action to correct our records and we can provide a letter that the error has been corrected that can be shared with other organizations."
Newsweek has contacted the Social Security Administration's press office for any further comment.
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