ANSWERS: 1
  • If your Social Security card is stolen, the person who stole it may try to use your number to open bank accounts, obtain credit or get a job. In these cases, there can be very detrimental implications for you as people destroy your credit or inflate the earnings reported to the Internal Revenue Service for you. There are a number of steps you should take following the theft of your Social Security card.

    Get a Replacement Card

    When your Social Security card is lost or stolen, you will want to get a replacement card. Although you can usually get by without one, there are some situations, such as obtaining a passport or starting a new job, when it will be necessary to have your Social Security card, rather than just knowing your Social Security number. You can get a replacement card for free (up to three replacement cards per year and 10 cards in your lifetime) by filling out an application for a Social Security card and providing documents to verify your identity and United States citizenship, immigration status or work eligibility.

    Place a Fraud Alert on Credit Reports

    Call one of the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Trans Union or Experian) to place a fraud alert on your credit report. An initial fraud alert lasts for 90 days and requires that potential creditors use "reasonable policies and procedures" to verify identity when credit is applied for under your name. The credit reporting bureau you call is required to notify the other two of your fraud alert, and all three are required to give you a free copy of your credit report.

    Check Use of Social Security Number

    There are a number of ways to review the activity associated with your Social Security number for the years following its loss. You should obtain a free copy of your credit report every year and review it to ensure that everything that appears on it is related to you. You should also review your annual Social Security statement and ensure that all the earnings reported on it were due to your work.

    Report Misuse of Social Security Number

    If you ever find that your Social Security number is being used by somebody else, you should report these findings to the appropriate agencies. First, you should file a report with the police department in the jurisdiction where the identity theft took place and carry this report with you as proof of the theft. You should also notify the Federal Trade Commission, the Internet Crime Complaint Center and the creditors in charge of each account associated with your Social Security number that you did not open.

    Change Your Social Security Number

    In extreme cases of identity theft, you can apply to change your Social Security number. This is typically done as a last resort because it creates difficulties when your financial records, medical records, employment records and other important documents are listed under two different Social Security numbers. Getting a new number requires the same documents as getting a new Social Security card, in addition to evidence of your need for a new number.

    Source:

    Social Security: Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number

    Federal Trade Commission: Defend: Recover From Identity Theft

    Social Security: Actions to Take in the Case of Identity Theft

    More Information:

    Internet Crime Complaint Center

    Internal Revenue Service: Identity Theft and Your Tax Records

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy