What does your SSN tell someone?

Many businesses ask for your SSN because it is a convenient way to identify you in their system. As a result, your social security number can now reveal all kinds of information about you, including places you've lived, your credit history, and maybe even medical conditions.

What does your SSN show?

Number Has Three Parts

The nine-digit SSN is composed of three parts: 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.

What can someone do with just your SSN?

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.

Does your SSN tell where you were born?

All social security numbers start with three digits, then two in the middle, and finish with four numbers. The first three numbers are called the area number. The area number shows the region or state where a person was born, and was first adopted in 1936.

Can someone access your bank account with your SSN?

Financial identity theft

An identity thief can use your SSN together with your PII to open new bank accounts or access existing ones, take out credit cards, and apply for loans all in your name.

STOLEN Social Security Number? | This is What REALLY Happens

Can I change my SSN?

Is it possible to get a new Social Security number? Yes, but it is not easy. If you can show that you are in danger due to domestic violence or other abuse, or you are experiencing significant, ongoing financial harm due to identity theft, Social Security can assign you a different number.

What can someone do with your Social Security number and date of birth?

With a person's name, social security number and date of birth, someone can get loans, access the person's existing bank accounts, open new bank accounts, lease or buy cars, get insurance, you name it.

Can your SSN 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.

What do the first 3 numbers of your SSN mean?

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. Prior to 1973, social security numbers were assigned by our field offices.

Does your SSN show your gender?

Your Social Security card only lists your name and Social Security number – not your gender. However, SSA maintains information in its computer records on everyone who has a Social Security number, including name, date of birth, and gender.

How do I find out if someone took a loan out in my name?

Your credit report is a reflection of the credit accounts that have been opened in your name—credit cards, student loans, mortgages, auto loans, you name it. If a fraudster opens a new account using your personal information, it will pop up on your credit report (typically within a month or two).

How do I get money from my Social Security number?

Federal law mandates that all Federal benefit payments – including Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits – must be made electronically. There are two ways you can receive your benefits: Into an existing bank account via Direct Deposit or. Onto a Direct Express® Debit Mastercard®

How important is the last 4 digits of SSN?

Guard the Final Four.

Although most widely used and shared, the last four digits are in fact the most important to protect. These are truly random and unique; the first five numbers represent when and where your Social Security card was issued. Scammers can get those numbers by knowing your birth date and hometown.

How do you read a SSN?

How much is a social security number worth?

Basic stolen identity information on a US citizen, which only includes the Social Security number, full name and birth date, can range from $1 to $8 per person.

Does SSN show employment history?

An SSN trace can uncover an applicant's former names and aliases, helping to expand your criminal records searches and your education history, employment history, and professional license verifications.

Does your SSN ever expire?

Does an SSN expire? No. Once an SSN has been assigned it is an individual's unique number for the rest of his or her life in the United States.

Can you check SSN activity?

Contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 1-800-908-4490 or visit them online, if you believe someone is using your SSN to work, get your tax refund, or other abuses involving taxes. Order free credit reports annually from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).

What to do if I gave my SSN to a scammer?

Can someone open a credit card in my name without my Social Security number?

An identity thief would have to obtain personal details such as your name, birthdate and Social Security number in order to open a credit card in your name. However, it is a federal crime to do this, and it can result in jail time when the thief is caught for their behavior.

What to do if my SSN is stolen?

Can two people have the same Social Security number?

Many people have the same name, but each person has his or her own SSN.

How many times can you replace your Social Security number?

You may receive no more than three replacement social security number cards in a year and ten replacement social security number cards per lifetime.

Is it OK to give last 4 digits of SSN for job application?

In most cases, the last 4-5 digits of your social security number can be used in a legitimate way to verify a candidate. If the recruiter hasn't passed all the above checks or is showing any signs of being a scam, we still would recommend waiting to provide that information until you have completed your interview.

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

Many people believe that their Social Security number is a unique identifier. However, this assumption is flawed. While a Social Security Number in its entirety is unique to each individual, the last four digits of the Social Security Number are used multiple times between different people.