While Social Security numbers work pretty well for tracking Social Security, they weren't designed to be secure. Americans are reluctant to institute a national ID. But in the absence of one, the market adopted a poor substitute — and the millions of Social Security numbers for sale online for cheaper than a cup of coffee is one of the consequences of that disastrous indecision.
Social Security numbers were poorly understood from the beginning. Company vice president and treasurer Douglas Patterson thought it would be cute to use the actual Social Security number of his secretary, Hilda Schrader Whitcher. Real Social Security cards had just begun circulating the year before, so many Americans were confused.
But birth certificates are issued state-by-state and not everyone has a passport, making the SSN the closest thing we have to a national ID number. As a result, the SSN is now widely used within the government and private sector — and most people are no less confused about it than they were 75 years ago. That list does not include landlords, cable companies, cell phone providers, or even credit reporting agencies, which all habitually request SSNs simply because a number is more precise than a name.
Americans have repeatedly rejected the idea of instituting a formal national identification system when it was proposed for use in health care or to prevent illegal immigration. Unfortunately, SSNs are also appealing to identity thieves, who can use the numbers to open new bank accounts and credit cards. An SSN is also typically the first piece in building an identity profile that can be used for more elaborate crimes like insurance fraud.
In addition to being unique and widely available, the vast majority of SSNs were assigned according to a publicly-available formula. SSNs have become available through data resellers , security breaches at various companies and government agencies , unsuspecting customer service representatives , and even public records , if you know where to look.
A screenshot of an underground forum where identity thieves do business. Source: RSA. Social Security numbers are the most common starting point for identity thieves, said Angel Grant, a senior manager at the information security firm RSA, which monitors the black markets where identity thieves traffic. In the last five years, SSNs have become so easy to obtain that thieves now usually bundle the number with extra identifying information like birth dates and even medical records in order to get the price up.
It is the key to a lot of your personal information. With your name and SSN, an identity thief could open new credit and bank accounts, rent an apartment, or even get a job.
You don't need to have your Social Security card with you at all times. Keep it at home in a safe place. Check for other cards that may have your SSN on them. There is no law that prevents businesses from asking for your SSN. And you may be denied service if you don't give the number. If giving your SSN to a business doesn't seem reasonable to you, ask if you can show another form of identification.
Or ask if the business can use another number as your customer number. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The government uses this number to keep track of your lifetime earnings and the number of years worked. When the time comes to retire, or if you ever need to receive Social Security disability income, the government uses the information about your contributions to Social Security to determine your eligibility and calculate your benefit payments.
Most people will use the same Social Security number their entire lives, though some people might need to apply for a replacement number at some point because of identity theft. Keep reading below to find out more about when and why you need a Social Security number as well as when you should avoid using it. Anytime you get hired for a new job, your employer will ask for your Social Security number. Employers who participate in E-Verify, a program to make sure employees can legally work in the United States, also must obtain your Social Security number before you can begin work.
Financial institutions use your SSN to check your credit, to report your interest and investment income or losses to the IRS, to report your tax-deductible mortgage interest to the IRS, and to manage your account. For example, to qualify for federal student loans, you must not be in default on another federal loan, you must have eligible citizenship or visitor status, and most male applicants must have registered with the Selective Service.
Federal law requires you to provide a Social Security number if you have one when you apply for a U. The IRS uses this number to match the income you report on your tax return to the income your employer and financial institutions report having paid to you.
You should use your Social Security number as infrequently as possible. For example, though most medical providers will ask for your SSN, you can leave the line asking for it blank when filling out medical paperwork, and often, no one will question it.
That said, while you can refuse to provide your SSN, the other party can also refuse to do business with you. Instead, keep the card in a secure place at home or in a safe deposit box at the bank. Similarly, you should keep any documents that contain your SSN, such as your tax returns, in a secure place. Replace Social Security Card. Prepare your application quickly and correctly with CitizenPath. The attorney-reviewed software guides you through immigration forms and provides help to answer questions like this one.
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