How To Find Someone's Social Security Number By Name

Your Social Security number is one of the most important and personal pieces of information you accept. One of these unique 9-digit numbers is given to every American at birth or at the time they obtain U.S. citizenship. It'south a vital item that tin can aid you lot keep runway of your earnings, open new lines of credit and use as identification, amid many other activities.

Because it's so personal and tied specifically to you lot, however, your Social Security number isn't something you want merely anyone getting access to. Afterwards obtaining it, someone could employ it to impersonate y'all, steal your identity or enter into financial transactions that create unnecessary hardship for you.

Sometimes, despite your all-time efforts at keeping your Social Security number (SSN) prophylactic, it might end up in the incorrect hands. If yous doubtable your SSN has been stolen, information technology's vital to take the right steps to protect yourself. The following tips can assist you become back on runway if yous're dealing with a stolen number or like identity-theft situation.

There are a few red flags to picket for that can betoken someone's gotten ahold of your SSN and used it. One sign is that your credit score drops without any plausible explanation. Another is that your depository financial institution account has mysterious charges or withdrawals. You likewise may meet suspicious emails or mail arrive at your abode.

It'southward important to have note of these occurrences and investigate them further, not write them off. You may notice it helpful to sign up with a credit-monitoring program offered by one of the master credit bureaus to keep tabs on your score. Also, try to go into the habit of regularly checking your banking concern balances online and reviewing new transactions to ensure you were the one who fabricated them.

Another popular scam happens when thieves steal someone'due south SSN and use it to get a chore or receive a paycheck. If this happens, yous may get-go to receive mailed notices from the Internal Acquirement Service (IRS). It'south important to notation that the IRS will never phone call you. If y'all get a phone phone call from someone challenge to be from the IRS, this is likely a scam, and you shouldn't divulge whatsoever personal data. You may, notwithstanding, start to receive calls from credit agencies or debt collectors notifying you nearly accounts that are past due, and these may be legitimate calls. These fraudulent accounts may have been opened in your name without your knowledge.

If yous've confirmed with the IRS or a credit bureau that someone has used your SSN fraudulently, the following steps can assist you protect yourself.

To kicking off the identity-theft recovery process, you need to contact the Social Security Administration to written report the fraud and begin creating a record of your identity theft. The Social Security Administration may direct you to the Federal Trade Commission'southward (FTC) reporting website. Y'all tin can visit the site straight at identitytheft.org.

On the website, start past filing fraud and incident reports, which will include some basic data about the incident and what happened. From there, the site offers suggestions about what to practise next. Depending on the specifics of your situation, you may demand to report the theft to a landlord or credit card company, and you might also need to become a new SSN altogether. The FTC's website offers a step-by-step guide that includes links to file reports and initiate the recovery process.

File a Police Study

To begin documenting your identity theft, the Social Security Assistants may want you lot to provide a record of the theft that it can afterward use while investigating your case. You tin file a police force study in your local customs to legally document the crimes of fraud. This is also used afterwards if any legal action is taken. Continue in heed that your local constabulary department may non investigate the law-breaking. However, you'll demand a legal record to help reclaim your identity or get a new Social Security number.

The Social Security Administration allows yous to receive a new SSN under sure circumstances. 1 case is if you're in immediate danger or existence threatened in a domestic abuse state of affairs. Another is if your SSN has been stolen.

To begin the process of obtaining a new SSN through the Social Security Administration, yous'll need to provide a written statement outlining what happened to you and why you need a new number. In addition to your argument, you'll also need to provide legal documents bankroll up your statements; these can include your police written report.

Y'all will too demand to fill out the SS-5 grade. This is the aforementioned form you or your parents filled out when you lot were born or that y'all filled out when you became a citizen. This form includes a serial of questions nearly your previous SSN filing. You'll notation on this class if you previously filed when you became a citizen or provide the names of your parents, who filed on your behalf.

In improver, y'all too need to provide documentation showing your U.S. citizenship, age, legal residence, identity and existing SSN. If yous've ever changed your name, y'all'll need to submit documentation of this. If you changed your name when you lot got married, for example, y'all could submit your wedlock license to satisfy this requirement.

Phone call the IRS Protection Unit of measurement and Check on Tax Filings

In addition to contacting and filing documentation with the Social Security Assistants, you also want to notify the IRS about the fraud. This is an important step in preventing anyone from filing a false revenue enhancement return in your name to merits your tax refund. You tin can cheque to encounter if anyone has already used your name to file a fraudulent revenue enhancement render on the IRS website by checking your transcripts. In addition to using the tool on the IRS website, you lot can also call the IRS at 1-800-908-9946 or make full out an IRS 4506-T grade to get a copy of your tax filing transcripts in the mail.

Gear up Fraud Alerts

As soon as you lot learn that identity theft has happened to you, y'all'll want to set up fraud alerts through your bank and credit carte du jour companies. This improves the likelihood that you'll find any new charges or suspicious activity on your credit written report early on. Many banks already offer these services, but you may have to enroll in your bank'southward specific programme to activate them. Yous tin also set custom alerts for purchases over a certain corporeality. If your depository financial institution or credit bill of fare's online system supports information technology, you may exist able to receive notifications through email or text on all your candy financial activities and transactions — just to be safe.

After you've experienced identity theft, notify all banks and credit card companies where yous have open accounts. Notify lenders, besides. Y'all can exercise this over the phone or through their websites. You'll as well need to inform the company or companies where the fraud took place, if possible.

Adjacent, you should put a freeze on your credit, which ways no one can open whatever new accounts in your proper noun — this goes for yous besides. You'll need to unfreeze your account when you feel comfortable or when yous're ready to make a big purchase. Learn more about freezing your credit here.

To continue an heart on your financial activity, download a free re-create of your credit report from the 3 major credit bureaus. You can do this in one case a year through the Federal Merchandise Commission at annualcreditreport.com.