To put a "red flag" on your Social Security Number (SSN), you place a Fraud Alert with one of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) or get an IRS Identity Protection PIN, with an Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov often needed for stronger alerts, and also use E-Verify Self Lock to block employment-related use; these actions warn lenders/employers, making it harder for thieves to open new credit or get hired using your details.
How To Report Fraud. Do you suspect someone of committing fraud, waste, or abuse against Social Security? You can submit a report online at oig.ssa.gov or contact SSA's OIG fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271. Our OIG will carefully review your allegation and take appropriate action.
There are a few ways you can flag your social security number. The primary way to do this is to through a fraud alert, which will put extra protections in place for people trying to access or use your social security number or other private account details associated with your credit.
An extended fraud alert can be placed if you are a victim of fraud or identity theft. It requires a copy of a valid police or law enforcement agency report, or a Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Report, and lasts for 7 years.
If you know your Social Security information has been compromised, you can request to Block Electronic Access. This is done by calling our National 800 number (Toll Free 1-800-772-1213 or at our TTY number at 1-800-325-0778).
Yes, you should take steps to "lock" or protect your Social Security Number (SSN) by using free services like credit freezes and SSN locks (like E-Verify Self Lock), and by being cautious about sharing it, as this significantly helps prevent employment fraud, tax scams, and unauthorized access to accounts. While no single lock stops all identity theft, combining freezes, locks, monitoring your accounts, and limiting SSN disclosure offers strong defense against fraudsters using your SSN for loans, jobs, or benefits.
What to do if your Social Security number is on the dark web
To stop someone from using your Social Security Number (SSN), freeze your credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, use the SSA's "eServices block" for online access, and consider the "E-Verify Self Lock" for employment fraud; additionally, file a report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and monitor your credit reports closely for any unauthorized activity.
There's no cost to place or lift a credit freeze, and it doesn't affect your credit score. You don't have to wait for your Social Security number or other information to be exposed in a data breach or misused by an identity thief to get a credit freeze.
Red Flag: a pattern, practice or specific activity that indicates the existence of identity theft or possible attempted fraud via identity theft on Covered Accounts.
Locking your SSN is one of the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft, and you can do it for free.
You may not be aware of it, but you can lock your Social Security number to prevent unauthorized access if your SSN has been compromised. To block electronic access to your SSN, call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.
The other reason a SSN is flagged is because somebody is using it illegally. Undocumented immigrants that needed a valid SSN to get hired or to open a bank account might have "made up" a number that just happened to match yours.
To check if someone opened a bank account in your name, request free reports from checking account reporting companies. You should also monitor your credit reports monthly, as new bank accounts may appear there.
Self Lock allows you to lock your Social Security number (SSN) to prevent it from being misused in E‑Verify. When you lock your SSN, nobody else can use it in E‑Verify, which helps protect you from employment-related identity theft. Self Lock is free and it lasts for 1 year.
Law enforcement tracks criminals on the dark web by exploiting any weakness in that shroud of anonymity. They've learned to crack encrypted networks, trace cryptocurrency transactions, and coordinate globally to hit suspects where they least expect it.
Here's how to tell if identity theft has already happened: