TN 31 (08-05)

A. Introduction

Fraudulent claims have been found in which the NH's death was recorded in a community other than the one in which he died (or records altered) to show a date earlier than the actual date of death. The falsified date resulted in insured status which would not have existed using the actual date of death.

B. Policy

SSA verifies evidence of death in the Philippines if the:

• Claim was filed more than 2 years after the NH's death; or

• NH was insured (under the rules in effect on the alleged date of death) by no more than 1 extra credit.

EXCEPTION: This does not apply to claims which are denied or those in which the evidence of death is a record established by a U.S. Government agency.

C. Procedure

1. FBU

Verify the death record by comparison with the NCSO records if possible. To establish that the record does not exist, search from the date of filing back to the alleged date of death.

2. PC

Flag cases in which the proof has not been verified because of a denial to alert those handling a subsequent claim to the need to have the death certificate verified. Show “NOTE THAT PHILIPPINE DEATH CERTIFICATE MUST BE VALIDATED UNDER GN 00307.771 PRIOR TO ANY AWARD ACTION ON THIS SSN.”

NOTE: Flags on older claims show a reference to FOM 3688ff. or GN 00307.768.