On the Social Security Death Index, what does this mean...?

Question

I found a record on the US Social Security Death Index for a relative that was born in 1897 and died in 1968, It lists his Last Lived as Allegheny, PA and gives the zip code and social.

Why is having the social security number so important because if you request one's social, even if it is in writing and the last name is the same, wouldn't they question why you are looking for the information on the person, deceased or not? I mean, anyone could say that they are one's relatives and looking for genealogical information and use it in a corrupted way, right?

Also, on this particular record, the information has something that reads: Source of Death Record: 39 What does this mean?

Any answers would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Records, like the social security application, can be obtained by citing the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act.  Individuals who are deceased loose their right to privacy.  The government, including state governments cannot ask why a record is requested and in Texas they can be fined for it.  Now requesting records on the living has a whole new set of rules. The SS Death Index is created from those that have died.  Many records are also protected from being released for so many years, like census records can't be released until they are 72 years old. This is in an attempt to protect the living.  When I requested a relatives death certificate, I had to fax a copy of my driver's license even though I didn't have the same last name. This is their record keeping method to see who requested it in case it is used for something other than what I stated.

As far as someone using the records in a corrupted way, that's possible with every record, including your name.

Depending on where you found the information is their record keeping and Source of Death Record: 39 is their method of identifying the type of record. 38 might be death certificate, 37 might be headstone, etc.

Answer 2

The actual purpose of the Social Security Death Index is to legally "retire" someone number after all benefits are paid on that number. It's the way that the government notifies all potential creditors that a person is dead so that no one else can attempt to use that number. Contrary to the idea of "corrupting" the process, it's the way to prevent identity theft and credit fraud.

Everyone is allowed to know that someone died. But that's about as far as you go with the number itself. I know a lot of people think the SSDI is chocked full of information, but it's not. It's just an index with enough information to identify whether someone using a given SSN is actually stealing someone else's ID. Even the fact that someone died doesn't automatically put them on the index. If there is still a minor child or widow drawing survivor benefits, the number doesn't show up (though the credit bureaus are still notified of the death).

You can only request information after all children are grown and the spouse is no longer drawing benefits. So the potential for misuse of the information is very, very small. What they don't release to the public is far greater than the little bit that they do release. Also, having that number doesn't aid your research. It's a false lead. It's the date of death and date of birth that are what's important. Getting a copy of the application may or may not help you. In the first 35 years of the program, there wasn't much information required to get the SSN It's only in the last 35 years that the wealth of information was collected.