The social security number (SSN) is another key personal identification that is used for any financial and government activities. However, identity thieves are also aware of the importance of this figure and will take your SSN and use it fraudulently. This makes you very vulnerable to falling victim to incidents such as tax scams, loan scams, employment scams, and identity scams. That is why, it is so important to set a regular check on the usage of the given SSN – to detect misuse of the number. Here are some steps you can take: Here are some steps you can take:
Check Your Credit Reports Another way of finding out if your SSN is being misused is to glance at your three major credit reports, which include Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You can go to AnnualCreditReport. com to monitor for accounts that you never signed for or any activity you don’t know regarding credit. This may imply that someone has taken and is using your details without your consent. You should compare the information reported to all three credit bureaus because the reports may differ. Seek for the applications for credit or purchases that you never made, accounts that you never applied for, credit cards or loans you never used, debts you do not owe, or addresses you never lived in. If any data seems unfamiliar or has been entered in the wrong way, it is a sign of possible identity theft.
Monitor Your Existing Accounts One last suggestion is to periodically review all your financial accounts and statements as another way of identifying when someone is using your SSN improperly. Keep yourself, logged into your bank accounts, credit card accounts, or any other accounts often. Be wary of any new transactions such as withdrawals, purchases, balance transfers, and payments that have not been made by you. Abnormal behavior may indicate that an identity thief has bought your SSN and other personal details to perform transactions that you did not authorize. If something does not seem right, inform your banking institutions immediately.
An article to read is read: Check Your Annual Social Security Statement. Annual statements given to you by the Social Security Administration offer you a detailed report on all income connected to your SSN with forecasted benefits. This is true and state that one should ensure that employment history and the income stated are real jobs he or she has undertaken. Forgoing a tax return could have implications for a second job under the same SSN. Additionally, call the IRS if the annual income stated on this statement and the Tax return differs. This could suggest that someone else has filed for a tax return under your social security number, thus implying tax evasion.
Join Identity Theft Protection Services today
You may also sign up for an identity theft protection service which performs periodic checks to identify instances of misuse of your personal information including your SSN. Innocuous services often look into the shadow databases to find threats that you wouldn’t be able to detect on your own, such as payday loan applications in your name or court/criminal records that have mistakenly used your identity after an arrest. It simply puts you on notice of these issues so you can respond before things get worse. They are LifeLock, Identity Guard, and IDWatchdog which can be a good starting point to investigate further.
Check State Records
Fortunately, the majority of states can access government agency sites that offer public record searches by SSN. Check on the databases where one’s SSN is likely to be used fraudulently, such as property records, business incorporation records, voter registration, driving license records, and court records. Check if there are records of activities such as real estate conveyances, business incorporations/permits, car registrations, and civil/criminal court suits/ proceedings that are linked to your identity but do not pertain to you.
To ensure that these instances are followed up, one should approach the companies where the suspicious activity occurs.
If you do find any transactions accounts or records associated with your SSN using any of the search engines or credit reports, then it is advisable to do more about it. They should also be able to call the associated organizations or companies which may include creditors, financial institutions, government agencies, utilities as well as other related entities. Inform them of the unauthorized use of your SSN and any other activities that have been done under the card without your permission. Make sure to verify your identity to them in writing by: • visiting the physical location in person and presenting acceptable ID • completing, notarizing, and mailing an affidavit • filing an Identity Theft Report with the FTC Suspend or terminating all the utilized accounts, signing up for the fraud alert according to FTC guidelines and prepare the necessary paperwork for disputes.
Freeze Your Credit Report
If you have received a notification of identity theft or suspect that you have been a victim you are entitled to freeze your credit report with three credit bureaus namely Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. This will limit it so that you cannot open any new accounts with your SSN unless and until you thaw the credit freeze. It is also important to retain any PIN codes provided by the credit bureaus once you contact them to place the freezes. These will be necessary if you need to unfreeze credit sometime in the future as you apply for loans, credit cards utilities among others.
Change Previously Used Passwords
To avoid using the same password again or exposing your SSN, you need to change other passwords where you have put in that number or any other details that may lead to identity theft such as any of the benefits program, employer records, or financial accounts. New simple passwords should be replaced with new complex passwords containing special characters, numbers, and cases and with 8+ characters in length which cannot be cracked by the fraudsters and should also not be similar to the passwords which are used earlier.
Investigate Social Security Administration Earnings To request a copy of your lifetime earnings report, you can register for an account at the SSA website (ssa. gov) or by contacting the Social Security Administration office to have the report sent to you through the mail. Ensure that reported income amounts are correct and cross-check employers listed with the tenants. If you discover earnings from occupations you never worked or higher amounts that do not match the W-2 form, then it means that someone else is using your SSN fraudulently.
Remain Vigilant Moving Forward Continuing to check your credit reports, account statements, and login details regularly after this point will enable you to identify unauthorized use of your SSN before a fraudster goes over the top. It is recommended to subscribe to the services that provide notifications whenever there are new accounts or loans in your name. Ensure that you are very cautious with your SSN as though it is a classified document and do not carry your card with you. As mentioned earlier, you should discard any paper that contains your number once it is no longer necessary. To avoid misusing SSN, it is crucial to stay alert and act accordingly because SSN abuse is still possible.
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