Here are some questions that are often asked:
Is it safe to give out the last four digits of your Social Security Number?
Social security numbers are probably one of the most sensitive types of personal identification numbers you may ever come across. This is a special 9-digit figure linked to the individual’s finances, employment records, credit reports, and many other things. This is why it is advisable that you only provide those people with your full social security number whom you can trust. However, you may ask - is it safe to provide just the last 4 digits of the Social Security number? So here are the facts you should know.
What is Possible to Do with the Last Four Digits of Your Social Security Number?
When you give out your full SSN, you open yourself up to identity theft and fraud, but if you give out only the last four digits of an SSN, it is not as risky. The last 4 digits of your Social Security number are sometimes known as a partially stripped SSN. Alone, the last 4 digits cannot allow someone to open an unauthorized financial account or obtain your personal and financial data.
However, there are a few ways the last 4 digits could potentially be misused:
- Help Guess Your Full Number: Although some effort would be required, a fraudster could leverage this last four-digit number to estimate the first five digits through a brute force attack. This becomes easier if they already have other forms of your personal identity information.
- Validate Your Identity for Fraud: It is humiliating knowing the last 4 digits because scammers might pretend to verify they are talking to the right person for other wrong purposes. This is why it is advised to avoid sharing any part of one’s SSN through electronic communication such as email or phone.
- Locate Additional Personal Information: There are some legacy databases where the last 4 digits of your Social Security number may be connected to other details such as your name, birth date, or address. Based on this information, the latter could help the bad actors create a profile.
Therefore, the last 4 digits per se have not much concern when isolated, but when clustered with other data, they may assist identity theft criminals.
When is it acceptable to include the last 4 digits of the SSN in the assessment?
If possible, do not disclose any portion of your SSN or provide it in full to anyone. However, there are a few common situations when you may need to share the last 4 digits:
- Health Insurance Verification: Sometimes the end digits may be required by doctors to identify one and/or double check on the insurance coverage.
- Tax Preparation Services: Also if you are doing your taxes online with the help of programs like TurboTax or consulting an accountant, they will ask for your full SSN including the last 4 numbers. This enables them to negotiate with the Internal Revenue Service or IRS and file your tax returns.
- Banking and Financial Accounts: A few banking institutions will employ the last 4 digits to help in the confirmation of your identity while transacting on existing accounts through the phone.
- Standardized Testing: I created a student profile to check scores on sample tests like the SAT, ACT, or GRE, and students must input the last 4 digits for identification on the test and score reports.
- Background Check Forms: When going through employment screening and tenant screening, there might be situations where you will be required to offer the last four figures in the course of the background check.
The similarity is that in these cases, it is only required that the last four numbers be given while opening an account or when the company seeks to verify relations with the client. Two, reputable companies should never demand a full SSN; instead, they should require only the SSN’s last 4 digits.
Some Requirements of Disclosure and Their Recommendations for Proper Use of the Last 4 Digits of Social Security Number
If you find yourself needing to share the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, keep these safety tips in mind:
- Only share via secured channels: If it is requested on the online site or through an e-mail/phone conversation, ensure that you are in an encrypted link that can be confirmed. Avoid sharing information over public social media channels that are not secured.
- Confirm why it is being requested and by who: As a rule, do not provide the last 4 digits of your social security number until it is necessary, so make sure that the need is legitimate and the request comes from a reliable source.
- Provide alternate ID option if possible: Ask if there is some other identification that you can provide, such as a driver’s license or some official identification number before giving any part of your social security number.
- Monitor activity afterward for fraud: Indications of overused details are such things as account lockouts, additional or unfamiliar services or charges, and rejected healthcare claims. Report any suspicious activity.
The Bottom Line
Providing the last 4 digits of your Social Security number does mean that there is a low chance that the number will be exploited or used fraudulently. It is best to keep it fully private when you can; however, there are situations when you may need to share the information. Provided that appropriate measures are taken to affirm why it is required and it is transmitted securely through secure networks with only the last four digits of the SSN being disclosed, there is no problem with sharing it with some selective parties. But always remember to run a check on all your accounts afterward to see if there has been any unauthorized access. It can be concluded that arranging limited access as much as possible still represents one of the most effective measures to protect Social identity.
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