We do everything we can to stop the perpetrators and educate the public. To report suspicious activity, please call the OIG Hotline at 1-800-269-0271. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call the OIG TTY number at 1-866-501-2101.)
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Anyhoo, how do I find out if someone is fraudulently using my Social Security number?
To see if your Social Security number is being used by someone else for employment purposes, review your Social Security Statement at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to look for suspicious activity. Finally, you'll want to use additional scrutiny by regularly checking your bank and credit card accounts online.
By the way, what do I do if I gave my SSN to a scammer? Credit freeze. If you provided a scammer with your Social Security Number directly, or you already think your number was used fraudulently, you will need to act more urgently. You can place a credit freeze on your account with the three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Transunion and Experian.
Along with it, who do I call if I gave out my social security number?
Ask for the person's extension and call the SSA customer service phone line at 1-800-772-1213.
What do I do if my SSN is compromised?
If you know your Social Security number has been stolen, here are some additional steps to take:
File a police report or a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Identity Theft Report. ... If you believe your identity has already been used, you can also contact the Social Security Fraud Hotline at (800) 269-0271.
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How to put a flag on your social security number or credit report
Contact one of the three credit reporting agencies (Transunion, Equifax, or Experian). ... After a few days, check with the other two credit bureaus to verify that they've received the fraud alert as well.
In case we did not hear from you, your social will be blocked permanently. Similar robocalls claiming to be from the SSA may say things like, "your social security number is suspended because of suspicious activity." ... The SSA says to "look out" for automated calls asking you to connect with an operator.
Once hackers or thieves have your SSN, they can make false statements on claims, file claims under your SSN, file fraudulent tax returns for refunds, open bank accounts and credit cards and more. A SSN, especially one with a good credit score attached, can be used to extract serious money quickly via these scams.
Your name, address and date of birth provide enough information to create another 'you'. An identity thief can use a number of methods to find out your personal information and will then use it to open bank accounts, take out credit cards and apply for state benefits in your 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.
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.
In most states, those who are at least age 18 and have a driver's license or state-issued identification card can apply for a replacement Social Security card online. There is no cost for a new or replacement Social Security card.
On a day-to-day basis, the only people who typically have access to your different types of bank accounts are you and the bank. In some cases, bank employees can't even access all of your information.
Contact your bank and report it as an unauthorized transfer. They will investigate and if it was not authorized they will get you a refund. They may have to close the account and open another.
Your online bank accounts can also be a major target for hackers, especially if you use your email address as a login for those, too. And, needless to say, once a hacker has access to those, your money is in serious jeopardy. βThis is one of the biggest risks you'll face from an email hack,β Glassberg says.