The United States government issues a Social Security number to every U.S. citizen. The number is used to track your lifetime earnings and the number of years you have worked. When you retire or sign up for Social Security disability the government uses the data they have collected to determine your eligibility and calculate your payments.
Your Social Security Card is one of the most important documents you have. If your number is compromised and exposed, it can lead to identity and financial theft. Thieves can use it to open credit card and financial accounts, apply for loans and government benefits and file tax returns in your name.
You are often asked for your SSN on job applications, at medical facilities and when you apply for a credit card, bank account or loan.
You should take every precaution and protect your number.
How to Protect Your Social Security Number
Store it Safely
Never carry your Social Security card in your purse or wallet, it should be kept at home in a fireproof safe or other secure location, memorize your SSN.
Never Give your SSN to Strangers
Never give your number to someone who asks for it through email, text message, the internet or phone. Scammers use many different tactics to get someone to reveal their SSN, they may pose as a government agency, financial institutions, or physician’s office. Don’t respond to these requests.
Never Use your SSN as a Form of Identification
Use your driver’s license when asked for your ID, never show anyone your Social Security card. If you don’t have a driver license, use a state ID card.
Use a Shredder
Shred any mailings and other documents that contain any identifiable information before throwing them away. This can include medical bills, receipts, utility bills, credit card statements, bank statements, insurance documents, prescriptions and prescription bottles, expired debit and credit cards and anything else that contains confidential information. Thieves go through trash to steal mail.
Reduce Mail
Mail theft from home mailboxes and blue USPS collection boxes is a major problem. Thieves steal mail and use it for financial and identity theft. Sign up for online bill pay and electronic statements so that those documents are not sent through the mail. Have your payments directly deposited into your bank account. Opt out of credit card offers so that they are not delivered to your mailbox where a thief can steal them and open accounts in your name.
You can choose to opt out at https://www.optoutprescreen.com
Opt out of marketing mail at https://www.dmachoice.org.
Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery
This is a free service through the United States Postal Service that allows you to view greyscale images of the exterior, address side of letter-sized mail pieces and track packages in one convenient location. You can view notifications from any smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can sign up for a daily email that shows you the mail that will be delivered to you that day so you will know if something is missing. https://www.usps.com/manage/informed-delivery.htm
Monitor Your Accounts
Sign up for online access at your bank, credit card company and other financial institutions. Log in often and if you notice any unusual activity, call the company right away to report the problem, then change your password and security questions. Enable alerts so that if there is a withdrawal, major purchase, or anything else you should be aware of you will receive an email or text message when these types of activities take place.
Some banks offer free credit monitoring services to account holders. If yours does, take advantage.
Check Your Credit Report
You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. Go to https://www.annualcreditreport.com to get your reports. Review your reports from all three because sometimes fraudulent activity is shown on one report and not another.
If you find anything suspicious, notify the credit bureaus.
Place a Security Freeze on Your Credit
One of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft is to freeze your credit.
Create an account at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion and activate a credit freeze. It takes just a few minutes, and you can temporarily unfreeze it if you need to apply for credit later. This prevents criminals from opening accounts in your name.
Use Strong Passwords
Use a unique, strong password for each account you have. Never use the same password more than once, if your email and bank accounts have the same password, it’s easy for someone to steal your identity and gain control of all your accounts.
Change your passwords a few times a year, when you change your passwords also change your security questions. When you set up your security questions never use true answers to the questions, instead use a password generator to generate a random set of characters and use that instead. Security questions are easy to guess the answers to, by using nonsensical answer it makes them much more secure.
Use 12 Characters or More, longer passwords are harder to crack so adding a few extra characters is a easy way to protect yourself.
Include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication to add an additional layer of security to your accounts.
Use a password manager to save your usernames and passwords.
Change your password anytime a company you do business with experiences a security breach.
Register for Online Access with the Social Security Administration
Setting up online access to your Social Security account offers many benefits and prevents cybercriminals from opening an account in your name. It is easy to do online.
Go to https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/create.html
You will be asked a series of questions that only you should know the answers to.
You will select a username and password and verify your account by entering a security code that they send to you.
If you have a credit freeze or fraud alert on your credit reports, you will be required to temporarily lift those to create your account. Once your Social Security account has been successfully created you can secure your credit accounts again.
If you don’t want to provide this information online, you can visit your local Social Security office in person, and they will assist you in setting up your account.
Registering for an account prevents someone else from setting up an account in your name. If you have been part of a data breach and your name, Social Security number and other personal information has been stolen a scammer can use that information to impersonate you.
Benefits of Setting up your Social Security Account
Access to current and past statements.
Estimate your monthly benefits if you claim them early or at the full retirement age.
Update your contact information such as your address and phone number.
Verify your lifetime earnings.
Check for any errors in your statement and take the steps to correct any mistakes that are found.
Setup direct deposits.
Check the status of a pending claim.
Request a verification letter as proof of income.
Request replacement tax forms.
In the past Social Security mailed you a copy of your statement annually a few months before your birthday. They no longer do that. Now they only mail statements to workers aged 60 and older who do not have a “My Social Security Account”
You can file a request to have your statement mailed to you. Go to Social Security Forms and fill out form SSA-7004. https://www.ssa.gov/forms/
If you suspect you have been a victim of fraud, go to the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity theft website and file a report. https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/
Also file a report with the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. https://oig.ssa.gov/report/
Additionally, notify your bank, credit union and credit card companies that you may have been a victim of identity theft.
Points to Remember
Social Security will never ask you to verify your identity by giving them your Social Security number over the phone or in a text message.
They will never ask for your bank or credit card information.
They will never ask you to send them money or any type of payment.
Apply for an IRS Identity Protection PIN
An Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The IP PIN is known only to you and the IRS. It helps the IRS to verify your identity when you file your electronic or paper tax return. Even though you may not have a filing requirement, an IP PIN still protects your account. Go to https://www.irs.gov/ to setup your account. Then, use the online get an IP PIN tool to request an IP PIN.
How to Spot a Scam
There are many types of scams and cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to trick people.
Scammers usually pretend to be someone you know like a family member or friend, or someone with credibility like the IRS, Social Security Administration, police department, bank or other financial institution, or a tech company. They often tell you there is a problem with your account, and you need to provide personal or financial information to solve the problem.
They typically try to create a sense of urgency to pressure you into responding immediately.
They often request an unusual form of payment such as gift cards, wire transfers or by using a payment app.
Never respond to anyone who contacts you asking for any type of payment or personal or financial information.
If you suspect someone is scamming you, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) https://www.ftc.gov/
What to Do if You Suspect Your SSN Has Been Stolen
Report It to Government Agencies
Go to https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/ or call 1-877-IDTHEFT to report the theft and get an identity recovery plan.
Report it to the IRS https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/reporting-identity-theft or by phone at 1-800-908-4490.
Notify the Social Security Administration using your My Social Security Account.
Call your local police department to report the crime.
Report it to The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) https://www.ic3.gov/Home/ComplaintChoice
Contact Companies Where Fraudulent Use Occurred
If you see an unfamiliar credit account on your credit report, contact the company that opened it and let them know you’ve been a victim of identity theft. Then, close those accounts so that the thief can no longer access it.
Contact your bank, credit card company and anyone else you do business with to report the theft.
The Tech Minimalist 