What Happens If You Lost Your Social Security Number

Tips To Secure Your Social Security Number

What To Do If Your Social Security Number is Stolen

Keep your SSN card in a safe place. It is very important that you do not share your Social Security Number with anyone else as this can lead to Identity Theft, i.e., someone can use your SSN to perform illegal transactions or activities that will be attributed to you without your knowledge, such as opening a credit card.

Below are some tips that will help you to secure your Social Security Number:

Memorize your SSN.
Do not carry around your Social Security card in your wallet. Instead, keep it in a safe place and keep it forever, even after you leave the U.S. You are issued one SSN for life.
Do not give out your SSN to anybody, including your family members or friends, unless it is absolutely necessary. If you are required to do so, dont hesitate to ask the reason they need your SSN.
Beware with online transactions. Normally you are not required to give out your SSN. If you are told to do so, be sure that the site is trusted and secured. In some cases, you may have to give the last four digits of your SSN.
As a customer, when you are talking with customer service agents requesting information or filing a complaint, avoid telling them your SSN. In most cases, agent will just ask you the last four digits of your SSN.

What If I Can’t Apply For A Card Online

If you can’t apply for a Social Security card online, then you will need to show the required documents in person at your local SSA office. The documents needed will depend on your current citizenship status and your age.

Different documents are needed if you are an adult and a U.S.-born citizen, a foreign-born U.S. citizen, or a noncitizen. Also, if you are replacing a Social Security card for a child, you’ll want to check the SSA website to determine which documents you will need.

Access To Confidential Information

If someone else has your Social Security number, they can access highly personal and confidential information about you, including your banking information, health and education records and other sensitive documentation that is typically protected. They can also apply for documents like passports, driver’s licenses and other forms of identification.

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How To Request A Social Security Card Replacement

If all you need is a replacement Social Security card, with no other changes, you can simply request a new card online at the Social Security website. You’ll need to be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older with a U.S. mailing address and will have to supply information from a drivers license or state-issued identification card from a participating state or the District of Columbia.

Currently, every state but Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and West Virginia participates in this program. If you’re from Alaska, Delaware, and Wisconsin, note that Social Security will only accept a driver’s license.

This service is not yet available to people whose drivers license or identification card was issued by a U.S. territory, such as Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Note that a new Social Security card can also be requested by filling out the application and returning it via mail to dropping it off at the local Social Security Administration office. Or applicants can go to the local Social Security Administration office and fill out an application there.

What If My Social Security Card Was Stolen

What You Should Do If Your Social Security Card Is Stolen ...

If you’re replacing your Social Security card because it’s been stolen, there are several precautions you should take immediately to reduce your risk of identity theft. Your Social Security number is a very important piece of personally identifiable information that can be used to open new credit accounts in your name, among other things, if it falls into the wrong hands.

Alert the authorities. You should contact local law enforcement to file a crime report. You’ll need this later on when you alert other agencies and take action to restrict access to your credit file.

Add a fraud alert. Adding a fraud alert to your credit files lets creditors know you’ve been a victim of fraud or worry you may be a victim in the future. A fraud alert instructs creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before granting any new credit in your name. Placing a fraud alert with any one of the three major credit bureaus will automatically alert the other two to do the same.

Check your credit. It’s important to monitor your credit carefully after your Social Security card is stolen. If an identity thief uses it to take out a credit card or loan in your name, it will appear on your credit file. With Experian, you can check your credit report and scores for free every 30 days and get free credit monitoring.

What To Do If You Lose Your Social Security Card

Now that you know the basics, lets take a deeper dive on what to do if you lose your Social Security card. To be sure, quick action is important.

If an individual loses their Social Security card, the first thing they should do is make sure they have claimed their My SSA profile at the Social Security My Account website, says Devin Carroll, founder of Social Security Intelligence, in Texarkana, Texas. Not only can you request a replacement card, you can also quickly check the accuracy of your annual earnings history, print benefits statements and change your address.

When you do reach out to the Social Security Administration to report and replace a lost card, know going in that the agency has a substantial to do list that needs to be completed before they’ll even accept your request for a new Social Security card.

The good news is that the Social Security Administration provides, free of charge, three card replacements on an annual basis, and 10 free cards in the course of an individuals lifetime.

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Submitting Your Application By Mail Or In Person

The final step is to submit the SS-5 form and your original or certified documents to your local Social Security office or card center, either by mail or in person. You can find the address online using the Social Security Administration’s Field Office Locator.

If you apply by mail, the office or center will mail your original documents back to you along with your new Social Security card.

One advantage of going in person is that you eliminate the possibility that sensitive or difficult-to-replace personal documents, such as your original birth certificate, driver’s license, or passport, will get lost or stolen in the mail. If you have any questions, you can also call that office beforehand and ask which documents you need to bring with you.

Generally, the Social Security Administration says, it will take two to four weeks to process your application and send you your card.

Your Social Insurance Number Is Confidential

If your SIN falls into the wrong hands, it could be used to obtain personal information and invade your privacy. When the SIN is not linked to you as its rightful owner, another person could receive your government benefits, tax refunds or bank credits. Your personal information could also be revealed to unauthorized people, which could lead to identity theft and other types of fraud.

If someone uses your SIN to work illegally or to obtain credit, you may suffer hardship. You could be requested to pay additional taxes for income you did not receive or you could have difficulty obtaining credit because someone may have ruined your credit rating.

There are a number of things you can do to protect your SIN:

provide your SIN only when you know that it is legally required
store any document containing your SIN and personal information in a safe placedo not keep it with you
contact Service Canada if you change your name, if your temporary citizenship status changes to a permanent resident status or if information on your SIN record is incorrect or incomplete
take immediate measures to protect your SIN when you suspect someone else is using your SIN fraudulently

S To Complete Form Ss

STOLEN Social Security Number? | This is What REALLY Happens

Here’s how to complete the 18 items on the form:

Provide your first name, full middle name, and last name as you want them shown on the card. If you had a different name at birth or previously went by another name, provide those here, as well.

If you previously had a Social Security number, write it here. If not, leave this section blank.

Enter the city and state or foreign country where you were born.

Provide the month, date, and year you were born.

Check the appropriate box to indicate whether you are a U.S. citizen, legal alien allowed to work, legal alien not allowed to work, or other. If you fall into one of the latter two categories, youll need to submit extra documentation with your Form SS-5 because, as a non-citizen, the government wont give you a Social Security card unless you can prove that you need one. In that case, you may want to contact the Social Security Administration beforehand to see if you qualify for a number and ask what documentation is required in your situation.

You dont have to fill out items 6 or 7, which relate to ethnicity and race. But if you want to help with the governments informational and statistical analysis of SS-5 form users, you can …

Check the boxes that apply to you.

Do you identify as male or as female? Check the appropriate box.

Provide the names and Social Security numbers for each of your birth parents, or check the unknown boxes if you dont have this information.

Provide todays date.

Sign the form.

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What To Do If Your Social Security Card Is Lost Or Stolen

In the digital age, the notion of losing your wallet or purse with your Social Security card lodged inside may seem like a low-risk or no-risk affair. But people do suffer lost or stolen wallets all the time. Pairing that experience with a lost Social Security card only doubles the pain.

While there are dependable ways to avoid losing your Social Security card like locking it away in a safe place and keeping the card out of your wallet or pocket people still lose their Social Security cards. Make no mistake, getting a card back can be a bit of a process. This article covers everything you need to know and answers the big question: What do I do if I lost my Social Security card?

What Do I Do If My Social Security Card Or Number Is Stolen Or Lost

If your Social Security card or number is lost or stolen, you should immediately contact your local police department and the Social Security Administration to let them know about the incident. Once youve done that, there are a few other things that you can do to help mitigate the risks involved with losing your Social Security Card.

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Apply For A Social Security Number For Immigrants

Apply for an SSN with your immigrant visa

Your may request a Social Security card as part of your visa application. When filing Form DS-230 or Form DS-260 , there is option to request a Social Security number. If you have selected this option, you do not need to submit a special application or go to a Social Security office to get a card.

The Social Security Administration will assign you an SSN and issue you a card after you arrive in the United States. They will mail the card to the same U.S. mailing address where the Department of Homeland Security will send your green card. You should receive your Social Security card within 3 to 4 weeks after you arrive in the United States. If you do not receive the card by mail, contact the Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

Apply for an SSN when filing Form I-765

Your may be able to apply for a Social Security Number at the same time you apply for employment authorization. If you need to file Form I-765 with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services , you can request an SSN at the same time. Many adjustment of status applicants or DACA recipients use this method to request a Social Security Number.

Visit The Local Ssa Office

What Happens When You Lose Your Social Security Card ...

Print out and bring your application and the original documents to your local SSA office. If you filled out the application online, the site will direct you to a page where you can find the closest SSA office in your area. You can also submit your application using an online form, provided you meet certain criteria outlined below.

Social Security Administrations User

The Social Security Administration web site provides clear and reader-friendly information: www.ssa.gov/ssnumber. All applications for SSNs, whether original, replacement, or for change of name or data, use the same form, the SS-5 form . The different purposes may occasion differing degrees of documentation.

The Importance Of Protecting Your Sin

Your SIN is confidential. You should not use it as identification or provide it for job applications, rental applications, etc. See Protecting your social insurance number for information on:

when to use your SIN
how to protect your SIN, and
what you should do if you suspect someone is using your SIN

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How To Retrieve A Lost Social Security Number

You are often required to provide your Social Security number when completing applications for jobs, credit and services. Some people may have their Social Security number memorized, while others have to look at the card to get the number. When you find yourself without a card and you don’t remember your number, you can still retrieve your lost number. You can make three requests for your number each year, or 10 requests during your entire lifetime. All requests are free.

How To Request A Social Security Card With A Different Name

What’s Your Social Security Number?

The steps to update your card after a name change are similar to those for applying for a card in the first place. You’ll need to fill out the Social Security Administrations Form SS-5: Application for a Social Security Card and gather supporting documents to prove your age, identity, and citizenship status.

Form SS-5 is a one-page form with 18 items. Most of these items should be easy for you to complete. This form can be printed and filled out by hand or filled out on a PDF form and then printed.

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If An Organization Asks For A Sin And It Is Not Legally Required

If you believe your SIN isn’t required, ask why it is being requested, how it will be used and with whom it will be shared.

If your SIN is not required by law, explain that you prefer not to provide it. Offer different proof of identity.

If the organization refuses to provide the product or service unless you provide your SIN, ask to speak to the person in charge. Many organizations don’t know about the appropriate uses of the SIN. Once they understand, they may willingly change their practices.

If you are not satisfied with the organization’s response, you may formally complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or 1-800-282-1376. There is no fee for making a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner.

You can also contact the organization’s industry association, ombudsman or complaint office. For example, the Canadian Marketing Association and the Canadian Banking Ombudsman handle customer complaints about their member companies.

For more information on laws about your privacy and the Government of Canada, visit the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

The Application Process And Required Documents:

STEP 1: Obtain an on campus job or off campus work permission.

STEP 2: Gather the required immigration and work eligibility documents:

Required Documents

STEP 4: Apply in person at the local Social Security office with your completed application and eligibility documents.

Address: 345 E Federal Street, Youngstown, OH 44503
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:00 am 4:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am 12:00 pm, closed Saturday, Sunday and all federal holidays. You must arrive at least 30 minutes before closing to process an SSN application.
If you are no longer in Youngstown, you can find a local SSN office

STEP 5: Wait for the SSN card. The card will be mailed to the address you used on the SS-5. Normal processing time is 10-15 business days. If you have not received your SSN card within 30 days of application, return to the Social Security office to inquire about the status of your application.

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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:

Create a My Social Security account. First, create a My Social Security account on the SSA website to prevent others from doing the same if they have your SSN. Aside from choosing a strong username and password, you can strengthen this account by using your cell phone, email, or a financial question for verification. That means youll either use the last eight digits of your credit card , W-2 info, or info from your 1040 Schedule SE tax form. To add extra security:
Log on to My Social Security.

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