Government Declares You're Dead Then Steals Your Money

Government takes 92-year-old woman’s money after believing she died

"A 92-year-old woman from Port Angeles, Washington revealed Friday afternoon that she had lost thousands of dollars due to her bank and the government believing she was dead, according to KOMO-TV.

Betty Longshore told her unusual story Friday of how her bank, First Federal, was sent a notice by the U.S. Department of Treasury that she had passed away on July 20, 2011. By law, the bank withdrew $16, 953 from federal retirement benefits from her account during the time after they believed she died.

The bank called Longshore on February 29th after seeing her account was active and was obviously surprised to find out she was alive.

“They said, ‘Betty, is this you?’” she recalled. “‘We have a report you are deceased. Can you come down to the bank?’ I thought I’d go in and say, ‘Here I am, and I’m alive,’ and everyone would laugh, and that would be the end of it.”