The US suffers millions of identity theft cases yearly, with over 6 million SSNs leaked from PharMerica only in 2023. Let's see what this means for your data safety.

Exposing your Social Security card number can lead to credit and tax refund fraud, impersonation, and identity theft. Numerous governmental institutions are requiring SSNs for verification, making them more important and more accessible. No one is safe, as the colossal Equifax data breach illustrates.

What Is SSN?

SSN stands for Social Security Number, a unique identifier assigned to US citizens at birth or upon migrating and applying for one. SSN consists of nine numbers organized by geographical distribution, but since 2011, they have been random strings of digits due to security reasons. In this case, you are indeed but a number, although a very important one!

Imagine an SSN as an ID card. It was introduced in 1936 to help deal with the massive downturns of the Great Depression but has become one of the main identity verification tools since then. This is where you need to take the good with the bad. Your SSN lets you take credit loans, receive tax refunds, and even organize your medical bills with a single code. The thing is, cybercriminals can do the same if they steal your SSN alongside other personally identifiable information (PII.)

How to Find My SSN

Of course, the most straightforward way to locate your SSN is to inspect the social security card where it's written. However, if you need help finding it, here are a few other ways.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) issues SSNs, so you can always contact them directly or fill out an online form for card replacement here. The local branch of the SSA is called the Social Security Office, so look for your regional office contacts. Suppose you don't want to deal with the SSA for some reason. Then, check your financial documents, like bank statements and tax refund forms – they often include SSNs.

In a much grimmer scenario, you will have to rely on Dark Web SSN search tools if you suspect your SSN will be found there. But before we go into SSN lookup on dark web methods, let's see what someone can do with your ID.

What Can Cybercriminals Do with a Stolen SSN?

To be perfectly honest, a single SSN without any additional PII is of limited use. After all, what can someone do with your SSN without crucial details like a birth date and address? Governmental or financial institutions rarely rely only on SSNs for verification and use two-factor authentication, security questions, or simply invite for a live chat. But if thieves stole your SSN alongside your address, phone number, birth date, first and last names, it's an entirely different story. It’s best to act quickly because some scenarios we list below have devastating consequences.

Credit Fraud

The ease with which false credits can be taken out is alarming. In the US, a real name and surname, SSN, date of birth, contact details, and limited financial information are all that's needed. What's more, most, if not all, of this information can be found in vast data leaks, highlighting the vulnerability of our personal information. Here's an excerpt from the PharMerica leak in 2023:

PharMerica had determined that the compromised information included names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, medication information, and health insurance information. 

Now, some banks, credit unions, and online lenders are more careful about identity verification—others, not that much. Keep in mind that some criminals are exceptionally skilled at social engineering and will go to great lengths to trick their victims. In no time, you will find yourself with dubious credit statements, and a huge debt will be pinned on you.

Tax Return Fraud

In 2023, the IRS flagged more than 1 million tax returns for identity fraud. What's worse, there are rumors of capable AI-powered software to create believable, deepfake identification documents and emails to be used for a fraudulent tax refund. These automated tools can forge hundreds of fake documents within minutes to file taxes using stolen SSNs. Drop by our Geek Squad Scam article if you want to learn more about email frauds.

Medical Identity Fraud

This type of fraud is particularly worrisome because it relates to what's most important—medical well-being. Criminals use stolen SSNs and other PII to impersonate the victim and charge them medical bills. Luckily, Medicare has severely restricted clients' SSN exposure to protect against identity theft, but this deplorable fraud is still alive and well.

Financial Theft

Like many US institutions that want to step up their cybersecurity efforts, US banks are becoming more aware of SSN theft and its impact on user authentication. However, a thief who has your real SSN can still use it to impersonate you via email or customer support. In the worst-case scenario, they get access to your bank account to withdraw funds. But they can also open up a new account in your name to take a massive loan that will come back to you.

Open A Phone Account (SIM Swapping)

As you may have noticed, most of these SSN scams rely on identity theft and impersonation. This one has a more technical twist and can be extremely dangerous. Suppose cybercriminals successfully trick a mobile carrier into opening a new phone account with your name and phone number. In that case, they can receive one-time codes and two-factor authentication (2FA) prompts to a new account instead of yours. Banks, social networks, and email services often use 2FA as a robust line of cybersecurity; losing this option to hackers is especially risky.

Social Security Benefits Fraud

Similarly to other cases, criminals impersonate the victim using a stolen SSN, this time to get social security benefits. This type of fraud can go largely unnoticed as the victim is not affected until social security benefits are required. Instead of getting a much-needed paycheck in a tough spot, you may notice someone else was silently wasting your unemployment benefits.

Get Fake Driver's License

In the US, you must provide a birth certificate, valid passport, proof of residency, and Social Security card or an alternative document that includes your SSN to get a driver's license. A criminal who steals or successfully fakes these documents can get a driver's license in your name. Because they will drive with your identity, any accidents can lead back to you, resulting in a challenging legal dispute.

How Do I Check to See if Someone Is Using My Social Security Number?

Firstly, we recommend inspecting your credit report. The three major credit bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian—offer one free credit report yearly. Follow this link to request your free annual credit report and analyze it for suspicious activities.

Monitor your bank account simultaneously. It is best to make a police report immediately after you notice unintentional money transfers, withdrawals, and dubious bills. Alternatively, you can contact the SSA to get a free Social Security statement that displays earnings related to your SSN.

Many criminals will spam you with scams and phishing emails if they get your contacts alongside your SSN. Be very mindful of suspicious calls, text messages, or phishing emails. The latter may resemble some official agency, like your bank, and include your information to make it look believable. We recommend carefully inspecting it for errors and contacting the named agency before filling out any forms or downloading attachments. Cautious vigilance will help you notice if your social security number has been stolen.

What to Do if SSN Is Stolen

It's best to act quickly if you notice strange activities regarding your SSN or have well-grounded suspicions that a malicious actor stole it. You can contact the Social Security Administration, demand a credit freeze from credit bureaus, file a police report, and inspect bank statements for irregularities. Below are three steps you can take immediately to minimize identity theft risks and damages.

How to Lock Your Social Security Number

Because SSNs are not password-protected accounts, you cannot directly lock or block them. However, if you have verified that someone is using your SSN or that your SSN is found on the dark web, you can block access to your Social Security records. This process provides a crucial layer of security, ensuring that your personal information is protected. 

Upon contacting the SSA regarding SSN theft, it will restrict access to your Social Security records and deny any change to them. Remember that they will restrict access to everyone, and you will have to regain it if you need to look at the activity logs again. However, removing the restrictions is a straightforward process. To do so, you must contact SSA again and provide proof of identity following its protocols.

How to Lock Your Social Security Number Online

If your SSN is compromised and used for fraudulent activity, you will need to make some phone calls to solve the issue. However, if you cannot communicate live at that moment, you can still act quickly to initiate the process online.

1. Go to IdentityTheft.gov to report your SSN has been stolen
2. Contact the IRS via www.irs.gov/uac/Identity-Protection so they can take action to restrict access to your tax refund or assist with similar financial fraud
3. Contact any related agency, like a bank or a mobile carrier, if scammers affect their accounts

How to Freeze Your Social Security Number

Although it's impossible to freeze your social security number, you can ask for a credit freeze instead. To achieve this, you have to contact Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Because each bureau has a separate credit on you, you have to contact all three for a full credit freeze. After that, no one will be able to open credits in your name or otherwise exploit a stolen SSN for credit fraud.

How to Find Someone's Social Security Number on the Dark Web

Stolen SSNs often make their way to the dark web and the highest bidder for your information. If you're a tech-savvy person unafraid of venturing below the common internet into the unknown, you can scout the dark web yourself for data leaks, looking for your SSN. But if you do so, first connect to a decentralized VPN. The dark web is full of script kiddies and professional black hat hackers looking for unprotected devices, so exposing your original IP address is a terrible idea.

But for most, we recommend seeking dark web Monitoring software. Cybersecurity experts have developed more than a few useful apps that will scan the dark web for your data, like leaked email addresses, phone numbers, and SSNs. This way, you will get real-time alerts whenever there's a risk and can act quickly to protect yourself.

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