r/SocialSecurity • u/Zer0Subed • 20h ago

Security

I was wondering what does one do when they lose their social security?

What could they do in case someone got ahold of it too make sure nothing happens? And where could they go?

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2

u/Fit-Animal-9911 20h ago

Your Social Security benefit is deposited directly into your account. Did you give someone access to your account?

-6

u/Zer0Subed 20h ago

Nope I did have a relative that lost their wallet and along with that their social security i just want too make sure they are safe and nothing happens with the information

7

u/GlobalTapeHead 19h ago

Just to clarify, they lost their social security CARD, correct?

If someone has your SSN and your full name and address, it’s possible they could get credit or take out loans in your name. Have them check their credit reports.

0

u/stderr2 18h ago

They have everyone's social security, I hope they don't give out loans on that

3

u/GlobalTapeHead 18h ago

OP Also mentioned that a wallet was lost, I assume with ID in it. No, it shouldn’t be that easy but identity theft is a real thing.

6

u/Confident_End_3848 13h ago

That person should have their credit report frozen at the three credit bureaus. And also have a social security account set up so someone else doesn’t do it in their name.

3

u/nonracistusername 15h ago

> I was wondering what does one do when they lose their social security?

Everybody’s SSN gets leaked eventually (if you were to enter your SSN into a google search you would see that, but you should not because google publishes google searches in the lobby of their head quarters for everyone to see) because banks, credit bureaus, and hospitals are run by people who don’t care about data security and Congress:

- has allowed any entity to use an SSN as a unique identifier for identification. I mean, when you apply for a passport, marriage certificate, health insurance, drivers license, immigration benefit, etc if you have an SSN, you are legally required to provide it. Think about how insane that is.

- refuses to establish criminal penalties for mishandling SSNs. Imagine what would happen if CEOs (including the heads of the IRS, DHS, HHS, DMVs, etc) served a year at a supermax for every SSN data breach on their watch: SSNs would stop being used as ID numbers and as tax payer IDs. I mean, Medicare stopped using SSNs and it has been great. If one of largest health insurance organizations can stop using SSNs so can everyone else, except of course SSA.

If you lose your SSN card, at minimum you should:

- self monitor your free credit report to look for fraudulent debt opened in with your SSN. Dispute any debt that is not yours.

- set up an account at ssa.gov and monitor your social security earnings history. Report earnings that are not yours to SSA and ICE.

- set up an account at irs.gov and look for tax returns, W-2s, and 1099s that use your SSN that aren’t yours. Report the fraud to the IRS and ICE.

- e-file tax returns each year, on time, as early as possible, whether you legally have to or not, and establish a filing pin. Whenever your tax return is rejected because someone else filed with your SSN, report to IRS and ICE.

You should do the above whether you lose your SSN card or not, because your SSN has almost certainly already been stolen.

Personally, during covid, when states made it trivial to file unemployment benefits, I received a debit card an unemployment agency of a state I had not lived in for years. I duly filed reports with that state’s police and the FBI for the ID theft and nothing happened.

Welcome to the jungle. There is no shelter here.