This may sound a little odd but why don't you contact a process server to deliver a letter? They're good at finding people, you can give him a letter to deliver explaining what your mentally ill relative told you and have your supposedly deceased relative contact you. A process server only costs @$60.

Anonymous wrote:Someone would stoop so low as to lie to a family member that another family member died? Wow. Why would anyone do that?

Probably some sort of mental illness. That sort of thing can be very tough on family members.

So sorry you're in this hurtful and confusing situation, OP. The simplest way to confirm would just be to google "[relative's name] [relative's hometown or last known city and state of residence] [possible date of death]" -- if there is an obituary or other acknowledgement of your relative's passing in the newspaper, this will likely find it.

If nothing turns up, that doesn't necessarily mean the death has not occurred -- but you will have more work to do to try to confirm. Can you call another relative who would likely have been in closer contact with the potential deceased and might therefore be able to let you know what is going on? Failing that, maybe call the coroner's office?

Someone would stoop so low as to lie to a family member that another family member died? Wow. Why would anyone do that?

call coroner's office.

You can't get a death certificate unless you are closely related.

Google all the info you have.

OP here: thanks very much to all for the helpful responses. The email came early this morning. I tried calling one hospital, reached a helpful operator, but had to disconnect before getting any definitive answers. Just too emotional right now. Will follow up on your suggestions. Again, thanks for your help, and your kind comments.

I'm so sorry OP. Unstable people like to frock with others; too much time on their hands, and too few brains in their head.

I like the ideas mentioned here. GL.

Presumably there's a local funeral home involved if it's true. Can you call around to them?

When did it happen? If it happened a while ago you can look on the social security death index online.

Health department for the county, and request a death certificate. You'll likely need some info such as the person's SSN.

Problem family member sent email reporting a relative's death. Family member's M.O. is to lie and manipulate, and so it's possible this is a false report. Either way, I'm upset and shaken.

With no way to reliably confirm death through other family members, what's the most efficient way to find out if it's true - call local hospitals?