When a loved one dies, you expect to experience grief and sadness. What you might not expect is the red tape. After we die, the person to whom we’ve granted executor duties will make sure our affairs are in order. This includes calling companies to give a death notification and close accounts on behalf of the deceased.
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The executor can do things like disconnect your phone and cable accounts and cancel credit cards after a death. One account that an executor may be faced with canceling is Rakuten. Here, we break down the steps needed to delete a Rakuten account for yourself or on behalf of a loved one who has passed away.
How to Delete Your Own Rakuten Account
Rakuten is an online platform that allows shoppers to collect cash rebates for certain purchases. There is no fee for using their service, so people may not feel an urgent need to cancel it. But if you are streamlining your accounts to prepare for the digital afterlife, you can still get your data wiped from their database.
Step 1: Gather your account information
Before contacting Rakuten, it’s helpful to know your account information. This will include the email address associated with your account.
Step 2: Send an email
According to Rakuten’s privacy policy, they will delete personal information upon request. This includes your name, email address, and physical address. The only time they won’t remove information from the system is if they are legally required to maintain it for some reason.
To trigger this process, send an email to memberservices@rakuten.com. Be sure to send the message from the email address that is associated with the account. In the subject header, type the words “Request to Delete Rakuten Account”.
In the body of the email, write a specific request to have your account deleted from their database. Ask them to purge any information they can.
How to Delete a Deceased Loved One’s Rakuten Account
After a loved one dies, their next of kin or executor may find themselves with the task of canceling accounts. Canceling a Rakuten account may not be at the top of the list, but it never hurts to lock down that information. Here’s how you do it:
Step 1: Access your late loved one’s email account if possible
If you’ve been tasked to close accounts, you may have access to the deceased’s password manager. If you do, you should log into that account and use it.
Step 2: Get proof you’re requesting cancelation on behalf of the deceased
When you’re closing someone’s accounts after their death, you’re often required to furnish proof. This often comes in the form of a death certificate.
Alternatively, if you’ve been appointed as executor of an estate, you may receive a letter of testamentary. This is just a legal document granting you the right to perform fiduciary responsibilities on behalf of the deceased.
Step 3: Send email to cancel account
Send an email to memberservices@rakuten.com asking them to delete the account of the deceased. Attach a copy of the death certificate or letter of testamentary to the email to provide proof that you’re authorized to make the request.
Cleaning Up Your Digital Footprint
Most of us have random accounts that we have set up over the years and then abandoned. It’s easy to forget about them, especially if they’re associated with a free service. But many companies will share your information with third-parties. If you’ve ever skimmed through a terms and conditions section, you’ll notice that you often grant permission for a company to share or sell your information.
Deleting accounts that you no longer use can help tighten up your cybersecurity, and create a lot less work for the executor.