Guard Your Card: Protect What’s Important to You | SSA (2024)

FAQs

Guard Your Card: Protect What’s Important to You | SSA? ›

We encourage you not to carry your Social Security card with you every day. The best way to “Guard Your Card” is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required, which is rare. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough.

The Social Security card reliably serves only as official verification of the SSN assigned by SSA to the person whose name is on the card. The card is not proof of the bearer's identity or citizenship/noncitizen status, and has no transaction or data storage capability.

Sullivan says your Social Security card and any identification or documents that include your Social Security number are perfect examples of what not to keep in your wallet. Those nine digits could make it easier for a fraudster to open loans or credit card accounts in your name.

Protect your Social Security number by keeping your Social Security card in a safe place at home. Don't carry it with you or provide your number unnecessarily. Be careful when you speak with unknown callers. Scammers may mislead you by using legitimate phone numbers or the real names of officials.

The Direct Express® card offers benefits that make it safer and more secure than checks. A personal identification number protects your account. Your card account has federal consumer protection, and your money is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

As a result of the June 1936 decision, the current SSN is composed of three parts: The first three digits are the area number. The next two digits are the group number. The final four digits are the serial number.

With those four digits, plus a bit more of your personal information, scammers could open accounts, access your bank, or apply for benefits in your name. For context, your full SSN is made up of three parts [*]:

There are measures you can take to help prevent further unauthorized use of your SSN and other personal information. You can lock your SSN by calling the Social Security Administration or by creating an E-Verify account. Also, you can contact all three of the nationwide CRAs to place a freeze on your credit reports.

Is my Social Security number secret? ›

The Social Security Administration protects your Social Security number and keeps your records confidential. We don't give your number to anyone, except when authorized by law. You should be careful about sharing your number, even when you're asked for it.

If you look at your card, you'll see that there is no SSN card expiration date listed. This is because Social Security cards do not expire. Just like the 9-digit number it records, once you receive your Social Security card, it's yours for the rest of your life.

PINs and Passwords: Avoid storing PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) or passwords in your wallet. If your wallet gets lost or stolen, it would be easy for someone to access your accounts and compromise your financial security.

A person keeping a picture of someone in their wallet shows the level of importance of that person. It is a big deal ! The boy holds the picture dear to him and it can mean that he likes what he had, how he felt with the girl.

It's why we rank the Social Security card among the worst things to keep in your wallet in case it's ever lost or stolen. Stow your Social Security card in your safe deposit box. On the rare occasions when you actually might need to produce it, say, for a real estate closing, you can plan to retrieve the card.

Contact one of the three nationwide credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian or TransUnion – to request a fraud alert, and that bureau will notify the other two. Security freezes help prevent access to your credit reports to open new credit accounts, with certain exceptions.

Social Security card loss or theft.

The three nationwide consumer reporting agencies - Equifax^®, TransUnion^® and Experian^® - offer fraud alerts and security freezes, which can all be activated to help better protect against fraudulent credit or loan applications.

Contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 1-800-908-4490 or visit them online, if you believe someone is using your SSN to work, get your tax refund, or other abuses involving taxes. Order free credit reports annually from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).

To sign up for Self Lock and freeze your SSN:

Go to myE-Verify and follow the prompts to create an account. myE-Verify will email you a link to start the application. After you create the account, you'll take a short Identity Proofing quiz. Next, you'll land in your myE-Verify dashboard.