What to Do If Your Social Security Number Is Compromised

If your Social Security number has been compromised, freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion within the first 24 to 48 hours, then file an Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov and work through the tax, banking, and SSA steps below. Stolen numbers are often resold quickly to buyers who specialize in fraud, so the damage compounds fast. Knowing what to do if your Social Security number is compromised is really a question of sequence: block new accounts first, document the theft second, clean up existing accounts third.

Freeze Your Credit at All Three Bureaus

A credit freeze blocks lenders from pulling your credit report, which stops almost anyone from opening new accounts in your name. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately and request a security freeze on each report.¹²³

The freeze stays on until you lift it. When you apply for credit yourself, the bureau must lift it within one hour of an online or phone request, or within three business days by mail.² Save the PIN or password each bureau gives you. Without it, temporary lifts get harder.

Beyond the big three, thieves also open phone, electric, and other utility accounts. The National Consumer Telecommunications and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE) keeps a separate report used by utility and telecom companies. You can freeze it for free by calling 1-866-349-5355 or through nctue.com.

Add a Fraud Alert

A fraud alert tells lenders to verify your identity before approving new credit. It does not block access the way a freeze does, but it forces a verification step, and you only have to contact one bureau because it must pass the alert to the other two.²

Two versions exist:

An initial fraud alert lasts one year and needs no documentation. You can renew it.²
An extended fraud alert lasts seven years and requires an identity theft report from IdentityTheft.gov or a police report.²

Using a freeze and an alert together is stronger than either one alone. The freeze blocks access; the alert catches anything that gets through when you lift the freeze.

File an Identity Theft Report With the FTC

IdentityTheft.gov creates an official Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan.⁴ The site generates a pre-filled affidavit and custom letters to send to creditors, debt collectors, and other businesses, along with a tracking number you will use throughout the recovery process.

Have these ready before you start:

A government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or state ID.⁵
Proof of your address, such as a mortgage statement, rental agreement, or utility bill.⁵
Dates, amounts, merchant names, and account numbers for every fraudulent transaction you have found.

Save digital and paper copies. Banks, creditors, credit bureaus, and law enforcement will each ask for the report at different points.

File a Police Report

A local police report creates an official record that many creditors and agencies require before they will resolve disputes in your favor.⁶ Together with your FTC Identity Theft Report, it qualifies you for the seven-year extended fraud alert and triggers a credit bureau’s duty to block fraudulent accounts from your report.

Bring your FTC report, ID, proof of address, and evidence of the fraud. Ask the officer to attach your identity theft documentation to the police report and give you the report number. Some departments handle few identity theft cases, so it helps to say up front that you need the report for creditor disputes and credit bureau requests, not necessarily for a criminal investigation.

Notify the Social Security Administration

Report the misuse to the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. You can file online, by phone at 1-800-269-0271 (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern), or by mail.⁷ This step matters most when someone is using your number to collect benefits or to work.

If you do not already have one, create a free “my Social Security” account at ssa.gov. Doing so stops a thief from creating an account in your name and lets you review your earnings record for entries you do not recognize.⁸ Wages posted by an employer you never worked for can affect your future benefits, so contact the SSA to correct the record.

Lock Your Number in E-Verify

The federal E-Verify system has a free Self Lock feature. Create a myE-Verify account, lock your number, and any employer who runs it through E-Verify will get a mismatch, blocking a thief from passing employment verification.⁹ The lock stays on until you remove it. When you start a job with an E-Verify employer, log in and unlock the number temporarily.

If a W-2 or 1099 Arrives From an Unknown Employer

A W-2 or 1099 from a company you never worked for is a strong sign someone used your number for employment. Do not include that income on your tax return or file an amended return. Contact the SSA to correct your earnings record.¹⁰

Secure Your Bank and Card Accounts

Call the fraud department at every bank and financial institution where you hold an account. If any account shows unauthorized transactions, close it and open a new one with a fresh account number. Ask for a verbal passphrase on your remaining accounts so no one can make changes by phone using personal information alone. Most banks will want a copy of your Identity Theft Report before waiving fees or reversing fraudulent charges.

Your Liability Depends on How Fast You Report

Federal law caps what you owe for unauthorized electronic transactions, but the cap depends on timing:

Report within two business days and your maximum liability is $50.¹¹
Report between two and 60 days and it rises to $500.¹¹
Wait past 60 days and you could be responsible for the full amount of any unauthorized transfers that happen after the 60-day window closes, if the bank can show earlier reporting would have prevented them.¹¹

Review statements the day you get them and report anything suspicious the same day you find it.

Check Your Checking Account History

Thieves sometimes open checking accounts in a victim’s name and write bad checks. ChexSystems tracks checking account history. Order a free copy of your report at 1-800-428-9623 or through their website to see whether any unknown accounts appear.⁴ If fraudulent accounts appear, contact the financial institution directly and ask to close them.

Block Tax Return Fraud

Tax-related identity theft happens when someone files a return using your SSN to steal your refund. Submit Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, to alert the IRS.¹⁰ You can file it online, print and mail it, or submit through IdentityTheft.gov. You generally do not need to file Form 14039 if the IRS has already sent you a letter about the issue or if you have used the IRS Identity and Tax Return Verification Service.

After the IRS processes your case, it can issue an Identity Protection PIN, a six-digit code that changes each year and must appear on your federal return before the IRS will accept it.¹² The IP PIN blocks anyone else from filing a return in your name even if they have your other personal information.

Remove Fraudulent Accounts From Your Credit File

With your Identity Theft Report in hand, you can demand that credit bureaus block fraudulent accounts and inquiries. Each bureau must block the information within four business days of receiving your identity theft report, proof of your identity, and a statement identifying the items that resulted from the theft.¹³ The bureau must also notify the company that originally reported the data.

Pull a free copy of each report and go through it carefully. Look for unauthorized accounts, inquiries, and address changes — thieves sometimes reroute statements on existing accounts so you never see the activity. For each disputed item, send a written notice to the bureau with your Identity Theft Report, a copy of your ID, and a clear description of what is fraudulent.

Get the Application and Transaction Records

If a thief opened an account or made purchases in your name, you can obtain copies of the application and transaction records from the business. Federal law requires the business to provide them free of charge within 30 days of receiving your written request.¹⁴ Include the date of the transaction if you know it, any account or transaction numbers, a copy of your government-issued ID, and a copy of your Identity Theft Report or police report.

These records often reveal the address the thief used, a phone number, or the IP address of an online transaction. That information can strengthen your police report and help you find other accounts the same thief may have opened.

Check for Medical Identity Theft

A stolen SSN can be used to get medical care, prescription drugs, or health insurance benefits in your name. Corrupted health records can also lead to wrong treatment decisions in an emergency. Contact your health insurance provider and request a full list of benefits paid under your name, then compare it against the care you actually received.¹⁵

If claims appear for services you never received, write to your health plan and each provider to dispute the entries. Identify each item, explain why it is incorrect, and ask that it be corrected or removed. Send copies of your police report to the plan’s fraud department.

Smaller Steps That Close the Remaining Gaps

Flag Your Driver’s License Record

Contact your state Department of Motor Vehicles to report the compromise. The DMV can flag your license number so any attempted use triggers additional scrutiny, or it may suggest you apply for a replacement with a new number.¹⁶ Procedures vary by state; you can find your local office through usa.gov.

Watch Your Mail

Thieves sometimes redirect mail to intercept statements, credit card offers, or new-account documents. USPS Informed Delivery is a free service that sends digital previews of your incoming mail each day.¹⁷ If expected mail stops arriving, or statements show up for accounts you never opened, contact USPS and the financial institution the same day.

If a Child’s Number Is Involved

Children are frequent targets because their SSNs have clean credit histories, and the fraud often goes undetected for years. Signs include pre-approved credit offers arriving in the child’s name, denial of government benefits because someone else already claims the number, or a rejection on a student loan due to bad credit.¹⁸

For a child under 16, you can request a free credit freeze at each of the three major bureaus.³ The process is different from the adult one. Each bureau has its own requirements, which typically include proof of your identity, the child’s identity, and your relationship to the child. The freeze stays on until you ask to remove it.

Getting a New Social Security Number Is a Last Resort

If misuse continues after you have taken every other step, the Social Security Administration may assign you a new number. It will only consider a new number when you can show ongoing harm despite your recovery efforts.¹⁹

You cannot get a new number simply because your card was lost or stolen with no evidence of actual misuse, and the SSA will deny a request meant to avoid bankruptcy consequences or legal obligations.¹⁹ To apply, schedule an in-person appointment at your local Social Security office and bring documents proving your identity, age, citizenship or immigration status, and evidence of the ongoing problems the misuse is causing.²⁰

A new number does not erase the old one. Your prior credit history, tax records, and employment history remain tied to the original number, building credit under the new SSN takes time, and some agencies may cross-reference both.

1
USAGov. How To Place or Lift a Security Freeze on Your Credit Report
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
3
Federal Trade Commission. Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
4
Federal Trade Commission. What To Do Right Away
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Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft: What To Do Right Away
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Office for Victims of Crime. Steps for Victims of Identity Theft or Fraud
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Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. Other Ways to Report Fraud
8
Social Security Administration. Fraud Prevention and Reporting
9
E-Verify. Self Lock
10
Internal Revenue Service. Employment-Related Identity Theft
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eCFR. Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
12
Internal Revenue Service. Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit
13
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c-2 – Block of Information Resulting From Identity Theft
14
Federal Trade Commission. FCRA 609(e) Disclosures to Consumers – Information Available to Victims
15
Federal Trade Commission. Medical Identity Theft: FAQs for Health Care Providers and Health Plans
16
Federal Trade Commission. When Information Is Lost or Exposed
17
USPS. Identity Theft
18
Federal Trade Commission. How To Protect Your Child From Identity Theft
19
Social Security Administration. Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number
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Social Security Administration. Can I Change My Social Security Number?