What You Can Do To Protect Your Personal Information
Reading Time: 3 MinutesLast Updated: August 21, 2024
Note: The Social Security Administration is providing the below information as a public service following reports of a data breach that is unrelated to SSA’s internal systems and data, neither of which has been compromised.
With various reports of data breaches involving Social Security numbers in the media, we’d like to remind you about the importance of protecting your personal information. Someone illegally using your Social Security number (SSN) and possibly assuming your identity can cause many problems.
What to do if you suspect your Social Security number has been stolen
Identity thieves can use your SSN and other personal information to apply for loans and credit cards and open cellphone and utility accounts in your name. If you believe your information has been stolen and you may be a victim of identity theft, you can:
- Visit IdentityTheft.gov to make a report and get a recovery plan. IdentityTheft.gov is a one-stop resource managed by the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency. Or you can call 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338).
- File a police report and keep a copy for your records in case problems arise in the future.
- File an online report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov. Its mission is to receive, develop, and refer cybercrime complaints to law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
- Notify 1 of the 3 major credit bureaus and consider adding a credit freeze, fraud alert, or both to your credit report. The company you call is required to contact the others.
- Equifax at 1-800-525-6285.
- Experian at 1-888-397-3742.
- TransUnion at 1-800-680-7289.
- Regularly check your credit report for anything unusual. Free credit reports are available online at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Contact the IRS to prevent someone else from using your Social Security number to file a tax return to receive your refund. Visit Identity Theft Central or call 1-800-908-4490.
To learn more, read our blog, Protect Yourself from Identity Thieves, and our Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number publication.
What else can you do to protect yourself
Create or sign in to your personal my Social Security account to check for any suspicious activity. If you have not yet applied for benefits:
- You should not find any benefit payment amounts, and you should be able to access your Social Security Statement and view future benefit estimates.
- Review your Statement to verify the accuracy of the earnings posted to your record to make sure no one else is using your Social Security number to work.
If you receive benefits, you can add blocks to your personal my Social Security account:
- The eServices block prevents anyone, including you, from viewing or changing your personal information online.
- The Direct Deposit Fraud Prevention block prevents anyone, including you, from enrolling in direct deposit or changing your address or direct deposit information through my Social Security or a financial institution (via auto-enrollment).
You’ll need to contact us to make changes or remove the blocks.
Other ways to safeguard your information
- Don’t carry your Social Security card with you. Keep it at home in a safe place. Be careful about who you give your number to.
- Change your passwords regularly and use a unique password for each account to prevent hackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen.
- Add an extra layer of security to your online accounts by using multi-factor authentication, which is a sign-in process that requires a password plus additional information.
- Be wary of scammers pretending to be Social Security employees. If you get a suspicious call, text, or email about a problem with your Social Security number or account, ignore it, hang up, and don’t respond! To report the scam and to learn more, visit Protect Yourself From Scams.
You’ll find more tips at our Fraud Prevention and Reporting page.
Please share this important information with your friends and family and post it on social media.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: data privacy, fraud, scams, Social Security card
See CommentsAbout the Author
Dawn Bystry, Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Comments
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Tommy H.
I found the comments very great for things that can and will happen and the Replies was very good for what to do.
Harry
How do I go about replacing my old card? It is falling apart
T.Y.
Hello, Harry. Thanks for reading our blog. You may not need a replacement card. You rarely need to show it. Knowing your Social Security number is what is important. However, if you must get a replacement card, you can begin and, in some cases, complete the process online. Learn more here. We hope this helps.
Minnie
I find this process to be most frustrating for those of us who are not tech savvy. I need to have someone walk me through the process of protecting what I have worked for all of my life.
That is most difficult to get!
T.Y.
Hi, Minnie. Thank you for reading our blog. For step-by-step instructions on how to make the transition, watch our 3-minute video. We also encourage you to visit our Frequently Asked Questions for Transitioning Your Social Security Username to Login.gov. We hope this information is helpful.
Drea
Im here to echo others that we don’t have resources if our ss has been compromised on the dark web. Seems the only option is after something happens that help is offered.
Maryjo B.
My ss# has been compromised on the dark web- who do I call? I’ve frozen all three credit report agencies.
Yvonne G.
My ss# was compromised and is on the dark web also. Did you receive a response about this from ssa ?
Thank you
Yvonne G.