Stolen Or Lost Social Security Card: What To Do Next
If your Social Security card is lost or stolen, it could wreak havoc on your personal affairs. Since your Social Security number is used for basically everything from identification to creditworthiness, you could easily become the victim of identity theft if your card falls into the wrong hands. There are steps that you need to take immediately upon recognizing that your card has been compromised. We will outline those steps in this article as well as tell you what you need to do to get a replacement card. While losing your card is not good, following the advice below can help you ensure that your lost card does not end up causing a disaster for you.
Report The Crime To The Police
Under California law, you can report identity theft to your local police department.1 Ask the police to issue a police report of identity theft. Give the police as much information on the theft as possible. One way to do this is to provide copies of your credit reports showing the items related to identity theft. Black out other items not related to identity theft. Give the police any new evidence you collect to add to your report. Be sure to get a copy of your police report. You will need to give copies to creditors and the credit bureaus. For more information, see Organizing Your Identity Theft Case by the Identity Theft Resource Center, available at
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When Should You Get A New Social Security Number
If your card has simply been lost, then you probably wont need a new number.
You should still follow all of the steps above just to be safe, but chances are that theres not someone out to steal your identity. You may have simply misplaced it or forget to return it to a safe place. On the other hand, if your card has been stolen and youre going through the nightmare that is identity theft, then you will need to register for a new number.
You will have to wait a few years to see if the individual who is stealing your identity gets caught or just gives up. But in the meantime, there is certainly some actionable steps to take.
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Report Theft To The Irs
This one is important. Reporting your stolen Social Security card to the IRS prevents fraudulent tax returns from being filed. If you dont report the theft immediately, you may be responsible for any fraudulent filings using your original documents. Make sure you cover yourself.
Here is the contact information to help you take this step.
Phone: 1-800-908-4490IRS Website: www.irs.gov/uac/Identity-Protection
Office Of Inspector General
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In the United States, Office of Inspector General is a generic term for the oversight division of a federal or state agency aimed at preventing inefficient or unlawful operations within their parent agency. Such offices are attached to many federal executive departments, independent federal agencies, as well as state and local governments. Each office includes an inspector general and employees charged with identifying, auditing, and investigating fraud, waste, abuse, embezzlement and mismanagement of any kind within the executive department.
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Write To The Credit Bureaus
Write a letter to each credit bureau. Repeat what you said in your telephone call . Send copies of your police report and completed ID Theft Affidavit. Remind the credit bureaus that they must block or remove any information that you, as an identity theft victim, say is a result of the theft. Send your letters by certified mail, return receipt requested. Keep a copy of each letter. See the Sample Letter to Credit Bureaus on page 7.
Equifax
P.O. Box 2000Chester, PA 19016
As an alternative, you may dispute items with the credit bureaus online. Look for dispute on their websites: equifax.com/home/en_us, experian.com, and transunion.com.
Social Security Combats Fraud
Social Security has zero tolerance for fraud. We diligently work at the national, regional, and local levels to combat fraud that undermines our mission to serve the American public.
To meet this challenge, we work closely with the Office of the Inspector General which investigates allegations of fraud and seeks to bring offenders to justice. The OIG refers cases to U.S. attorneys within the Department of Justice, and other state and local prosecuting authorities, for prosecution as a federal crimes.
Visit our OIGs Investigations page to view a list of recent fraud investigations.
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Are There Any State Laws About Identity Theft
Massachusetts identity theft law requires businesses and others that own or license personal information of residents of Massachusetts to notify the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation and the Office of Attorney General when they know or have reason to know of a breach of security. The law also requires that the breached entity notify consumers of any breach of their personal information that creates a substantial risk of identity theft or fraud as soon as practicable and without unreasonable delay after a breach occurs, except when a law enforcement agency determines that notice may impede a criminal investigation.
How To Report A Stolen Social Security Card
This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 556,604 times.
One of fastest growing crimes in the United States is identity theft. Over 13.1 million Americans were victims of identity fraud in 2013 alone.XResearch source Thieves can target social security cards and then charge up credit cards under your name. Luckily, the Social Security Administration has a department devoted to receiving reports of stolen social security cards and preventing future fraud.
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Ways To Reduce The Risk Of Id Theft:
- Get smart about internet safety and protecting sensitive information online ».
- Opt out of pre-screened offers for credit cards and insurance. Reduce or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT to greatly reduce the amount of mail you receive.
- Keep documents with sensitive information in a safe place. Never leave items like your social security or Medicare card in places that are vulnerable to theft such as your wallet or car.
- Shred any documents that contain sensitive information before disposing of them.
Report Your Lost Card To The Ssa
The Social Security Administration does not require you to report a lost Social Security card. However, if you want to report your card as lost and check that there hasnât been any fraudulent action that the SSA is aware of in relation to your lost card, you can call the main Social Security Administration service number for assistance.
The main toll-free phone number for the Social Security Administration is 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hearing-impaired, you should use this number: TTY 1-800-325-0778. The Social Security Administration does not publish the phone number for your local social security office, and going to a social security office isnât necessary anyways.
Automated services from the Social Security Administration are available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These include recorded messages with information you might need and answers to common questions relating to your lost social security card. If you need to speak to a social security representative, they can be reached through the same number between 8 am and 5:30 pm Monday through Friday.
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Consider A Credit Freeze
The strongest protection against new accounts being opened in your name is a credit freeze, also called a security freeze. A freeze means that your file cannot be shared with potential creditors, insurers, employers, or residential landlords without your permission. For more information, see our CIS 10: How to Freeze Your Credit Files.
You Must Apply For A New Number In
Here, youll fill out an application and also provide the proof from the previous step. Only third-party evidence can be used as proof.
If youre looking to find your local Social Security Office go to our homepage and use the search bar to enter your city or zip code.
If youre looking to apply for a Social Security card online, there are options available just follow that link to find out more information.
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File A Report With The Police And Ftc
Stealing a Social Security card is a crime and should be treated as such. Once youâve become aware that your Social Security card was stolen, file a report with both the Federal Trade Commission and your local police department.
What does this mean?
The FTC is an agency of the federal government tasked with the principal mission of consumer protection, from data security to identity theft. In the event that your SSN was stolen or compromised, the FTC will provide you with the appropriate forms and help you create a personal identity recovery plan.
After filing with the FTC, use a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report to also file a police report in your local jurisdiction.
Though federal agencies are often responsible for investigating identity theft cases, a report with your city or county creates an essential paper trail.
Hereâs how you do it:
Visit the FTC-operated website, IdentityTheft.gov, to report your theft. There, you will have the ability to specify the type of identity theft youâve suffered. This includes instances of a stolen Social Security card or an exposed SSN.
Once youâve indicated the type of identity theft, the next step is to fill out an identity theft affidavit. Also known as Form 14039, this serves as a full record of the crime. After completing the form, youâll be assigned a recovery plan.
Take action:
What To Do If Your Social Security Number Is Stolen
Having your Social Security number stolen can make your life extremely difficult
A Social Security number is the single most important piece of government-issued identification that a United States citizen has. In fact, your Social Security number and card are issued at birth unlike with other forms of identification.
Your SSN is the most valuable piece of personal data that identity thieves can get their hands on – especially when they have the number along with your full name and address.
Even just by itself, a valid SSN can be illegally sold online or in person to others who are unable to get one on their own. For this reason, you should know how to protect your Social Security number to prevent it from getting stolen in the first place. However, your SSN could still be stolen or leaked online as the result of a data breach.
With a stolen SSN, your full name and an address, an identity thief can steal property, money or even take out loans in your name. To make matters worse, the police will come looking for you instead of the actual crooks if they commit any crimes using your identity.
As senior manager of Alkami Technology Adam Dolby points out You can close a credit card if it is compromised but the problem is, you cant close your SSN.
If you discover your SSN has been stolen or misused by someone else, there are several steps you will need to take right away to minimize the damage.
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How To Protect Your Social Security Card Moving Forward
In general, these are some best practices to protect yourself from identity theft, particularly regarding your SS card and your SSN number:
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Review Your Credit Reports Carefully
When you receive your credit reports, read them carefully. Look for accounts you dont recognize. Look in the inquiries section for names of creditors from whom you havent requested credit. You may find some inquiries identified as promotional. These occur when a company has gotten your name and address from a credit bureau to send you an offer of credit. Promotional inquiries are not signs of fraud. Also, as a general precaution, look in the personal information section to verify your Social Security number, address and name.
If you find anything you dont understand, call the credit bureau at the telephone number listed on the report. Tell them you want to block, or remove, any information on the report that is the result of identity theft. For more on what to tell the credit bureaus, see the Privacy Rights Clearinghouses Identity Theft: What to Do When It Happens to You.
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Claim Your My Social Security Profile
Every individual with an SSN is eligible to create a free my Social Security account to update their personal information and request a replacement Social Security card. In the event that your physical Social Security card is stolen, claim your SSA profile immediately.
Hereâs how you do it:
Visit the SSA website to create your own my Social Security profile or get started here. Pair your email address with a unique, never-before-used password for ultimate protection against future identity theft.
Request A Credit Freeze Or Fraud Alert
A restricts access to your credit report and helps prevent fraudsters from opening new accounts, renting apartments or applying for loans in your name. Freezing your credit will not affect your credit score, and you can unfreeze and refreeze your credit report at any time.
You’ll need to freeze and unfreeze your credit with all three credit bureaus separately .
If you think your SSN may have been stolen but don’t have any evidence of fraud occurring, you could place a fraud alert on your credit report instead of a credit freeze. Rather than restricting access to your credit report, a fraud alert asks businesses checking your credit to verify your identity before offering credit in your name.
Placing a fraud alert with one credit bureau extends the alert to all three. It has no effect on your credit score.
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Request Additional Free Credit Reports
California identity theft victims with a police report of identity theft are entitled to receive up to 12 free credit reports, one per month for the 12 months following the date of the police report. The procedure for requesting free monthly reports is different for each of the credit bureaus.2
Experian: Make a single request to receive all of your free monthly reports. Mail your request for 12 free monthly reports to Experian at P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013. Enclose a copy of the police report of identity theft, a copy of a government-issued identification card , and a copy of proof of current mailing address . Also provide your full name including middle initial , previous addresses for the past two years, Social Security number and date of birth.
TransUnion LLC: Write or call in your request each month. Mail to TransUnion LLC, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016. Or call the toll-free number printed on your most recent TransUnion LLC credit report. Provide your full name including middle initial , Social Security number, date of birth, and proof of residence .
Equifax: Write or call in your request each month. Mail to Equifax Fraud Department, P.O. Box 740250, Atlanta, GA 30374. Or call the toll-free number printed on your most recent Equifax credit report.
How Long Will It Take To Receive A New Social Security Card
The time it takes for the SSA to process consumer requests varies depending on whether the request was for a new Social Security card, a SSN, or if thereâs any additional documentation necessary to verify your legal status.
For a replacement Social Security card:
If your Social Security card was lost or stolen, you can receive a replacement card in the mail within 10 to 14 business days of filing the request with the SSA.
For a new Social Security number:
If youâve applied to change your SSN, you will need to prove your identity to the administration and provide evidence that your identity was stolen.
In particular, you will need to supply evidence that your SSN was used for fraudulent transactions, that you have suffered ongoing financial harm, and that you have exhausted all other means to recover your identity.
The process to provide such information to the SSA can take anywhere from three business days to three weeks depending on the severity of the fraud. Once the process has been approved, you will receive a card with your new SSN within 10 to 14 business days.
For additional information to verify legal status
If you were not assigned an SSN at birth and received one upon immigrating to the United States, the SSA may need to verify your legal status before issuing a replacement card or new SSN. To do so, they will file a request with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services .
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