Jersey City woman declared dead in error fights back

According to the Social Security Administration, Medicaid, and TD Bank, Nancy Diaz died on April 2, 2015 -- only Nancy Diaz is not dead, she is alive and well, living in Jersey City.

"I am fighting for my life," Diaz said.

Diaz explained that she was notified that someone had reported her dead, after which her Social Security and Medicare benefits were halted and her bank account was frozen.

“… I went to speak to one of the teller’s and it was because they said that they got a letter from the Treasury that I had been deceased, that I had died,” Diaz stated.

Diaz added, “They cut my medical, they cut my Medicaid, they cut everything, I have no money. I’m negative.”

However, she was able to get a letter from Social Security stating she was alive, which she could use to reopen her bank account, but TD Bank would not accept it.

Diaz was told she needed to get a copy of her bogus death certificate, find out who reported her death, find that person, and get them to provide a notarized letter stating she is alive.

“I went to City Hall to get the death certificate and they looked at me like I was crazy,” Diaz said.

After learning more about her story, City Hall asked for her to come back down and sit with the City Clerk, Robert Byrne.  

Byrne wanted to take her case to the State to see if there was even a death record.

A death certificate wasn’t on file in the town that she lived in because the certificate is located where you died or where someone has claimed that you died, which in Diaz’s case could be anywhere in the United States.

After being astonished by her story, the Social Security Office got in touch with Diaz and started reinstating her benefits.

TD Bank began working on the case as well, “Mrs. Diaz’s account was never closed. However, because there was a death notice on her account, her funds were returned to the Treasury causing over draft fees and not allowing any Social Security checks to be deposited. We have been working diligently with customer service and representatives to provide a resolution with the Social Security Administration,” a TD Bank Representative explained.

After much back and forth, TD Bank finally accepted the Social Security Administration’s letter and Diaz’s account has been reopened.