Most scammers use stolen SSNs (and other personal data) to open new accounts and credit cards, or to take out loans in their victims' names. One of the only places you can check for this type of financial fraud is on your credit report. Order your free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com.
You can call the SSA to lock your SSN. Contact them at 1-800-772-1213, and make sure you have additional proof of your identity when you speak to them. Additional forms of identification could include a driver's license or passport.
Once someone has their hands on your Social Security number, they can use it in all sorts of fraudulent ways. That might include: Filing a tax return in your name and collecting your refund. Applying for unemployment payments or government benefits in your name.
Receiving calls from debt collectors about unfamiliar past-due payments could indicate that someone is using your SSN. If you know you don't have any debt and you receive these types of calls, it is a serious sign that your SSN has been stolen and your identity is being used.
Go to the website of any of the three major credit bureaus and select that you want to add a fraud alert. Note: You only need to do it at one credit bureau. Once you place the fraud alert at any of the three bureaus, they automatically notify the other two.
There is NO COST to place or lift a security freeze. For more information, see detailed instructions entitled “Placing a Security Freeze on Your Credit Report to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft” below. 5. Review your credit reports carefully.
Check for suspicious logins into your accounts and activate notifications for them if the service you use provides them. Be on the lookout for misleading password retrieval emails and messages and only change your credentials by logging into the account from the official website.
Without additional information, no one could access your bank account with your Social Security number alone. In terms of bank security, you should worry about other things like a poor password, lack of two-factor authentication, and general carelessness when online banking.
You can lock your Social Security number—sometimes referred to as freezing your SSN—in a couple of ways. The easiest way to lock your SSN is by calling the Social Security Administration to block electronic access. Or, you can apply a Self Lock on E-Verify to stop anyone from using your SSN to apply for a job.
Breach Details
According to National Public Data, a malicious actor gained access to their systems in December 2023 and leaked sensitive data onto the dark web from April 2024 to the summer of 2024. This data contained the following details: Full names. Social Security Numbers.
To verify your identity and tax return status, call us at 800-908-4490. We can't give your refund status or other tax information at this number. For tax account answers, call 800-829-1040. To verify your notice or letter, search for it online or call us at 800-829-1040.
You also can lock your SSN by visiting the Department of Homeland Security's myE-Verify website. Activating the site's Self Lock feature can stop someone from using your SSN for employment fraud. Keep in mind that you're not able to "freeze" your SSN, meaning that it can't be used at all.
Check Your Credit Report.
If someone has used your SSN to apply for a credit card or a loan or open other accounts in your name, your credit report is the first place the activity can appear. Look for accounts you don't recognize or credit applications you never submitted.
There is no federal reserve bank that your social security number is linked to. A claim otherwise is a scam. The only accounts at the Fed are for member banks.
HaveIBeenPwned is also a great resource for this, but there are quite a few ways to see if your passwords have been compromised. If you use Google Chrome as a browser, you can use Chrome's Password Checkup. It's a great tool that is super easy to use.
You can find out if your information is on the dark web by using a dark web scan tool, signing up for a dark web monitoring service or checking for the latest data breaches.
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).
A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report. If you suspect your personal information or identity was stolen, placing a credit freeze can help protect you from fraud.
This type of identity theft is a very real threat. In 2024, nearly 3 billion Social Security numbers were reportedly compromised in a single hack. But taking steps such as freezing your credit and blocking electronic access to your SSN with the Social Security Administration can reduce your risk.
Anyone with an SSN or an ITIN can get an IP PIN including individuals living abroad.