How can you save your vital information like your social security number that no one steals

Here are 10 things you can do to safeguard your SSN:

1. Offer an Alternative Form of ID. …
2. Ask Why They Want It and How It Will Be Handled. …
3. Leave Your Card at Home. …
4. Shred Mail and Documents With Personal Details. …
5. Don’t Use Your SSN as a Password. …
6. Don’t Send Your SSN via an Electronic Device. …
7. Don’t Give It out to Strangers.

How do I make sure no one is using my Social Security number?

If you believe someone is using your Social Security number to work, get your tax refund, or other abuses involving taxes, contact the IRS online or call 1-800-908-4490. You can order free credit reports annually from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).

Does LifeLock protect your Social Security number?

Like other identity theft protection companies, LifeLock protects your Social Security number and other personal data by monitoring websites, social media, financial accounts, and other places where that data can be found for signs of identity theft.

How can I protect my Social Security?

How to Protect Your SSN

1. Ask Why They Want It and How It Will Be Handled. …
2. Leave Your Card at Home. …
3. Shred Mail and Documents With Personal Details. …
4. Don’t Use Your SSN as a Password. …
5. Don’t Send Your SSN via an Electronic Device. …
6. Don’t Give It out to Strangers. …
7. Monitor Your Bank and Credit Card Accounts.

How do I secure my Social Security number?

What is the safest way to send SSN? Whenever possible, do not send your Social Security number via an electronic device. If you need to contact someone and provide them with your number, you should do so personally. A second best option would be to speak to them on the phone.

What can a person do with the last 4 of your SSN?

As long as a hacker or scammer has access to other personal information such as your name and address, they can use the last four digits of your SSN (in most cases) to open accounts in your name, steal your money and government benefits, or even get healthcare and tax refunds in your name.

What can someone see with your Social Security number?

5 things someone can do with a stolen Social Security number

• Open new accounts. If someone has your SSN, they can open new accounts in your name. …
• File fraudulent tax returns. Your Social Security number is also used to file your taxes in most cases. …
• Obtain medical care. …
• Steal your benefits. …
• Commit crimes.

Is it safe to enter SSN online?

Some online applications require you to fill in the Social Security box before you continue with the application. If that’s the case, you should feel safe entering your number as long as you see a green “https” or a green company name, a padlock, you’re using an updated browser and you have an up-to-date antivirus.

Can someone access your bank account with your SSN?

They can use your SSN to open a bank account in your name.

That means that anyone with your SSN can easily open a bank account in your name, especially if the identity thief already obtained a driver’s license in your name.

Can someone use your Social Security number with a different name?

A dishonest person who has your Social Security number can use it to get other personal information about you. Identity thieves can use your number and your good credit to apply for more credit in your name. Then, when they use the credit cards and don’t pay the bills, it damages your credit.

Can you change your SSN?

The Social Security Administration does allow you to change your number, but only under limited circumstances, such as identity theft or if your safety is in danger. You will also need to supply appropriate documentation to support your application for a new number.

Can someone have the same last 4 digits of SSN as me?

Although the last four digits of your Social Security number are very freely shared, they are, in fact, the most important part to protect. According to Teipen, Selanders, Poynter & Ayres, that’s because: Only the last four digits of your Social Security number are truly random and unique.

Are SSN reused?

A: No. We do not reassign a Social Security number (SSN) after the number holder’s death.

Does your social security number tell your age?

The Serial Number, itself, doesn’t say anything about your location or age that the Group Number and Area Number don’t already say, although since they are assigned consecutively, they could potentially reveal your relative age within a Group and an Area.

Does your SSN tell where you were born?

Look at the first three digits of your SSN. These three digits are called the “Area Number” and are the only part of your SSN that can help identify your birth location.

What are the first 3 digits of my social security number?

Since 1973, social security numbers have been issued by our central office. The first three (3) digits of a person’s social security number are determined by the ZIP Code of the mailing address shown on the application for a social security number.

What do the first 3 numbers of your Social mean?

Area Number

The first set of three digits is called the Area Number. The second set of two digits is called the Group Number. The final set of four digits is the Serial Number.

Who had the first social security number?

John D. Sweeney, Jr.

This particular record, (055-09-0001) belonged to John D. Sweeney, Jr., age 23, of New Rochelle, New York. The next day, newspapers around the country announced that Sweeney had been issued the first SSN.

What is the lowest social security number?

However, since the Social Security numbers were not assigned in chronological order, Sweeney did not receive the lowest Social Security number, 001-01-0001. That distinction belongs to Grace D. Owen of Concord, New Hampshire.

How many US citizens do not have a Social Security number?

Never-Beneficiary Demographic and Poverty Characteristics. Nearly 4 percent of the population aged 62–—about 1.6 million people—is projected to never receive Social Security benefits, as shown in Table 1.