Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, but also Amazon, Google and Apple… users open many accounts during their life, which their relatives must close in the event of death. Here’s how to do it for the main services.
You have lost a loved one and you will have to manage his physical burial, but also digital, by closing the many accounts, including social networks, that he was able to open during his life. This operation can be simple if the deceased person thought, during his lifetime, to share his passwords with a loved one whom he trusts.
To facilitate the task of this relative, it is possible to save usernames and passwords on a secure USB key (such as that of Lexar or iStorage) or on a common account, whose password is known only by the two people. It will then be much easier to close an account by logging in instead of the user, an operation which requires having the username and password.
You must provide proof
If you do not have this information, you will have to close the accounts externally, that is to say by sending requests to the service provider. You will need to prove that the person is deceased and that you are a member of their immediate family or that you are their heir. For this, you generally need several elements:
- The death certificate of the deceased
- Proof that you are part of the family
- An ID
In the majority of cases, account and Internet service providers do not disclose the password of a deceased person. In addition, the accounts and their content are not transferable. It is therefore not possible for the family to have access to the deceased’s data.
Here are the steps to take for the main services and social networks:
You have to go to the google help center and fill out a form. The procedure is complicated, because Google requests documents in English or a certified translation, issued by a professional translator. You must provide a scanned copy of the death certificate, as well as your identity card or driver’s license. And if you want to get account items, for example photos, you have to get a court order in the United States!
However, Google allows a user to decide in advance what will happen to their account in the event of death. To do this, you must use the inactive account manager.
This manager allows you to decide after what time the account is considered inactive and whether or not to delete it. You can also specify who are the people to notify and what data you want to share with them.
Apple
You have to go through the assistance service to request the closure of the deceased user’s account. Click on Apple ID then on iCloud, FaceTime and Messages. Then contact support. You must provide a copy of the death certificate. The deceased’s data are then erased without it being possible to recover them.
Microsoft
To close the account, contact the Microsoft Archives Custodian by sending an email to msrecord@microsoft.com. You must then provide a death certificate, a document proving that you are the next of kin or the beneficiary of the property and a photocopy of your identity card. The good news is that you can then recover the deceased’s data in the form of a CD that will be sent to the next of kin.
In its help pages, Facebook offers several forms to manage user deaths. You can quite easily request the deletion of the account by going to this address. You will need to provide a copy of the death certificate or other proof and indicate the date of death. The form also helps organize a fundraiser to pay for funeral expenses.
The other option is to request that the account be turned into a memorial account. The words “In Remembrance of” are then displayed next to the person’s name on their profile and their friends can share their memories on the Remembrance Journal. Again, proof of death must be provided.
Facebook also allows you to act while you are alive, by going to general settings, then to account management. You can also request that the account be deleted as soon as Facebook is aware of your death. Finally, you can designate a “Legate Contact”, that is to say the person who will be responsible for managing your commemoration account (click on the image below to enlarge).
As with Facebook, the deceased’s account can be deleted or transformed into commemoration account using the forms provided for this purpose. You must provide a document such as a death or birth certificate, or even proof that you are managing his estate. For the passage into a commemoration account, proof of death is sufficient. Instagram also asks to indicate the date of death.
Snapshat
Go to the Snapshat support page and check the box Report a security concern, then the box Someone else’s Snapchat account. Click on YES at the question Do you still need help ? Then check the box This person is deceased and fill out the form. You will need to attach a copy of the death certificate.
Using a form in the help center, request the deactivation of the deceased user’s account. You will then receive an email from Twitter to provide additional information, in particular a copy of your identity card and a copy of the death certificate of the person concerned.
Yahoo
From the yahoo help page, contact customer service and request that the account be closed. You must provide the Yahoo ID of the deceased person and provide a copy of the death certificate, a copy of your identity card, and a document stating that you are a personal representative or executor of the deceased. If you want to get the contents of the deceased’s account, you need an Irish court order!
Amazon
Send a copy of the death certificate to bereavement-support@amazon.fr. If you have an Amazon account, you can collect gift certificates and digital content from the deceased. This requires proof of your relationship with the deceased, as well as the email address and the last purchase associated with your account.
Ebay
To close the account of a deceased person, you must contact eBay using their instant messaging system. The closing time is 30 days, but eBay does not indicate which documents to provide. However, all payments must be made and all disputes settled.
PayPal
In the digital age, PayPal is the most restrictive and asks to send documents by post or fax (on 0821 230 215)! You must send a cover page explaining the situation, the contact details of the person responsible for the estate with an identity document, the death certificate and a copy of the will or legal documents which stipulate the identity of the administrator of the estate. succession. Finally, add a letter to indicate what to do with the remaining funds in the account. In short, a real obstacle course.