An online post said retirees in Mudan District of Heze City, Shandong Province, have to be present and buy a five-yuan certificate to prove they're alive; otherwise, they will be assumed dead and are not entitled to their pension, the Xi'an Daily reported.

Working staff from the local Human Resources and Social Security Bureau explained that it was an effort to prevent imposters, and made clear that what retirees have to provide is not a "being dead or alive" certificate but a fingerprint.

However, he said it "seemed true" that the fingerprint verification table was sold at five yuan.

(China.org.cn March 28, 2012)

據《西安日報》報道，網上有帖子稱，山東菏澤牡丹區的退休老人必須現身并購買5元的“沒死證明”，否則就會被認定為死亡而不能領取退休金。

當地人力資源和社會保障局的工作人員解釋說，此舉是為了防止有人冒領養老金，并澄清退休老人要提供的并不是“死沒死證明”，而是指紋。

至于指紋驗證表賣五元這事，他表態說“好像是真的”。