How to Lock Your Social Security Number – NerdWallet

Social Safety numbers are important for getting jobs, submitting taxes, receiving authorities advantages and way more. In case your distinctive, nine-digit quantity falls into the unsuitable palms, it may have disastrous penalties to your funds. Fraudsters might steal your cash or tank your credit score.

Such a id theft is a really actual menace. In 2024, almost 3 billion Social Safety numbers had been reportedly compromised in a single hack. However taking steps resembling freezing your credit score and blocking digital entry to your SSN with the Social Safety Administration can cut back your threat.

There are a few issues you are able to do to limit the usage of your Social Safety quantity: block digital entry to your SSN and lock it with E-Confirm.

Blocking digital entry to your SSN prevents anybody, even you, from acquiring or modifying your private data with the Social Safety Administration on-line or by the automated telephone service. You may name the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to request a block. You’ll must name once more and confirm your id if you wish to take away the block.

E-Confirm is a system many employers use to substantiate folks’s employment eligibility. You may create a myE-Confirm account to place a “Self Lock” with E-Confirm. Locking your SSN prevents anybody else from utilizing it to authorize employment in E-Confirm. The lock stays in place so long as your account is legitimate or till you unlock it.

Whereas this transfer helps forestall others from utilizing your SSN for employment fraud, it’s going to additionally forestall employers from confirming your individual official work eligibility. Remember to unlock your SSN earlier than beginning a brand new job.

You may’t put a freeze in your Social Safety quantity the identical means you’ll be able to freeze your credit score, however except for blocking digital entry to your SSN, there are different methods to protect your data.

Freezing your credit score report, often known as a safety freeze, can forestall scammers from utilizing your Social Safety quantity to open credit score accounts in your title. Lenders can’t pull your credit score file when it’s frozen, in order that they’re unlikely to approve credit score functions. You may as well freeze your youngster’s credit score to assist cease somebody from utilizing their SSN to take out loans and bank cards.

Putting a freeze is free and doesn’t have an effect on your credit score rating. Be aware that you must freeze your credit score individually with every main credit score bureau, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. For those who plan to use for brand spanking new credit score, you’ll must carry the freeze; you’ll be able to unfreeze your credit score indefinitely or for a specified time period.

Make sure that to periodically verify your credit score reviews for indicators of fraud, resembling accounts you didn’t open or addresses that aren’t yours (you are able to do this without cost as usually as as soon as per week by AnnualCreditReport.com). Dispute any inaccuracies with the credit score bureaus.

Create a my Social Safety account on-line to handle or estimate your advantages and replace your contact data. The Social Safety Administration says that opening an account is vital as a result of it stops another person from making an account in your title.

The Social Safety Administration advises not often carrying your Social Safety card or different paperwork that comprise your SSN with you. Go away your data at residence and out of plain sight.

There are occasions you’ll be able to anticipate to share your Social Safety quantity, resembling once you apply for an condo or a bank card. Different instances, it will not be vital. While you’re requested to your quantity, the Social Safety Administration recommends asking the requester why it’s wanted, how it is going to be used and what occurs when you decline to share it.

For those who obtain a name, textual content or e mail asking to your SSN, it’s doubtless a rip-off. Scammers usually impersonate employers or the Social Safety Administration to get cash or delicate data from folks [0]

Shield your self from in-person threats too; don’t say your quantity out loud in public or depart it seen to onlookers.

Paying for an id theft safety service is perhaps value it when you don’t need to freeze your credit score or take the time to examine your reviews. Some companies, resembling Aura and LifeLock, will notify you in case your SSN is discovered on the darkish internet or is used to use for monetary accounts.

Regardless of your finest efforts to guard your Social Safety quantity, accidents and information breaches will occur. Right here’s what to do you when you have purpose to imagine your quantity is in danger: