Yes, you can lock your social security number to protect your identity. It’s surprisingly simple
You’ll need your Social Security number to apply for jobs, file your taxes, and open new credit cards and loans. But if this nine-digit number is exposed in a data breach, identity thieves can also use it to get a job in your name, rack up credit card debt against your credit score, and steal your tax refund.
But did you know that you can actually lock your Social Security number to block cybercriminals and better protect your data?
Banning electronic access to your Social Security number may feel extreme – it’s certainly inconvenient. But if you’ve suffered identity theft or had your personally identifiable information compromised in a recent data breach, such as the Change Healthcare or National Public Data hacks, which affected hundreds of millions of people, locking your Social Security number can protect you from future attacks. injury. .
Blocking access or “locking” your SSN makes it extremely difficult for an identity thief to use your SSN for malicious actions. This, combined with a credit freeze, can help thwart identity thieves and keep your identity safe.
Read more: Social Security November 2024: This is where you can expect your check
How to Lock Your Social Security Number
There are two ways to block access to your social security number.
Call the Social Security Administration.
You can contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 between 8am and 7pm local time, Monday to Friday. Wait times are usually shorter in the morning and later in the week.
Once you confirm your identity, the SSA will wave their magic wand and block electronic access to your SSN number.
Create an E-Verify account
You can also use one MyE-Verify online account to lock your SSN and use that of the service self-closing function. The lock lasts for a year. But you will receive a notification 30 days before its validity expires and you can extend the block if you wish.
This resource is useful because many employers use E-Verify, a service operated by SSA and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to verify job eligibility. When you lock your Social Security number, a company that wants to verify your Social Security number cannot verify your identity.
This option is also useful if you don’t want to answer the phone every time you need to unlock your Social Security number.
The Downside of Locking Your SSN
The main disadvantage of locking your BSN will be familiar to anyone who has imposed a credit freeze. When you block access to your BSN data, you also limit access to it for yourself.
This means you have to go through the whole hassle of unlocking it when you need a new employer to verify your eligibility to work in the US or if you want to receive government benefits.
This back and forth may be worth it for individuals who have experienced workplace identity theft and tax fraud. For extra protection against tax identity theft, you can get a identity protection pin with the IRS to prevent someone else from filing a tax return with your Social Security Number or individual tax number.
What is the difference between locking your BSN and freezing your credit?
A credit freeze is different from a Social Security combination lock, although both are free. One blocks access to your online Social Security file, while a credit freeze denies access to your credit reports.
To implement a credit freeze, you will need to contact all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) to prevent anyone from creating new credit accounts in your name.
Will locking my social security number protect me from identity theft?
The answer here is quite unsatisfactory: it could be. Locking your Social Security number can prevent identity theft at work or deter a criminal from collecting government benefits in your name. But it won’t prevent all forms of identity theft.
As an extra precaution, you should only share your Social Security number when absolutely necessary and never during an unsolicited call or text message.
It’s also a good idea to monitor your financial accounts and your credit reports for unusual activity. If you prefer a service that does this for you, you can sign up for a credit monitoring service or an identity theft protection service. You can often sign up for credit monitoring to keep an eye on your credit reports. Identity theft protection often includes credit monitoring, dark web monitoring, and alerts if your information is compromised in a data breach. If your identity has been compromised, identity theft protection can help you recover it through white glove recovery services.
For added security, you can freeze your credit with Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax to prevent identity thieves from opening new lines of credit in your name. I did this recently and found the process surprisingly simple.
