Your Social Security Number And Identity Theft

Your SSN, otherwise known as your personal id number, is what the US government uses in order to provide disability or retirement benefits. Also, if you plan on getting yourself a job (and who doesn't!), having a social security number is compulsory, because everyone with a job has got to pay into the social security system.

That's not all though - there are plenty of other things where an SSN comes in useful. For instance, you'll have to supply your social security number when opening a bank account. It's also required when applying for a driver's license or a credit card.

Hence, it's vital that you safeguard your SSN, because they're one of the primary targets of identity theft.

Any establishment could ask you to produce your social security number, for eg. health clubs, utility companies, your doctor's office, etc.). However, it's not incumbent on you to provide it all the time. You can easily ask if you could use an alternative identifier. If they still insist on your SSN, it might be a good idea to take your business someplace else, because it is totally within your legal rights to be able to protect your social security number.

A few corporations have the right to actually demand for your SSN, too. These include the Tax department, the Department of Motor vehicles and the Welfare department. But keep in mind, that it's always better to give your social security number only when it's needed. The less it's in circulation, the slimmer the chances of it being stolen.

If your SSN's been taken in an identity theft attack, the thief can easily use it to obtain loans and credit cards. What's more, he can apply for various amounts of credit in *your* name. The thief could even get himself some jobs using your number, and engage in criminal activities at the same time. In short, when an identity theft occurs and your SSN's stolen, a thief can do pretty much anything he wants with it.

Now, you may not know your social security number's been compromised, until you start receiving phone calls from collection agencies, ringing you up regarding debts that you didn't incur.....or, until you get denied for credit.

Did you know?
Your child's SSN is also at risk. An identity thief would love to grab hold of a child's SSN, for the simple reason that he can use it for several years, virtually undetected. A great way to check if your child's number has been stolen, is to get a credit report in your child's name as well as his/her social security number. If you notice any activity been recorded on the report, it's fair to say your child's number is indeed being used. When this happens, you want to get in touch with the credit reporting agencies immediately, and request them to place a fraud alert on your child's account. Next, you might want to file in a police report and contact the social security office.

Finally, keep in mind that your social security number is the most vital identifier you possess, so make sure you protect it from being caught to an identity theft attack!