Why Customs Asks for Your SSN: Rules, Scams, and Alternatives

Customs asks for your Social Security Number because federal rules require every import into the United States to be filed under an importer identification number, and if you don’t have a business tax ID, your SSN is the default. That is the honest answer to the question of why customs asks for your SSN. The request almost always comes from your shipping carrier or a customs broker acting on CBP’s behalf, not from a CBP officer directly, and you have legal alternatives if you’d rather keep your SSN off the paperwork.

The Rule Behind the Request

Federal law requires anyone importing merchandise into the country to file entry documentation with CBP. Under 19 U.S.C. § 1484, the importer of record must give CBP enough information to release the goods, assess duties, collect trade statistics, and check compliance with other laws.¹ For a personal purchase from overseas, the importer of record is usually you.

Every entry summary filed with CBP has to carry an importer number. That number is either an IRS-issued Employer Identification Number for a business, your SSN for a personal import, or a CBP-assigned number obtained through Form 5106.² It’s how CBP ties a shipment to a specific person, tracks duty payments, and flags patterns across multiple imports.

When Your SSN Is Actually Required

Not every package triggers the request. Whether an importer number is needed depends on the value of the shipment and the type of entry.

Shipments Under $800

Most low-value packages fall under the Section 321 de minimis exemption, which lets goods worth $800 or less per person per day into the country without a formal or informal entry. No duties are owed, and CBP generally does not require an importer number. The carrier still transmits basic manifest data (your name, address, a description of the goods), but your SSN is typically not part of that filing.³ There’s one caveat: goods regulated by another federal agency, such as the FDA or CPSC, may still need a fuller filing that includes an importer number even under $800.⁴

Shipments Between $800 and $2,500

Goods valued between $800 and $2,500 qualify for informal entry, a simplified process that still requires an importer identification number. This is where SSN requests become routine for individuals. You or a licensed customs broker files the entry, and your SSN, EIN, or CBP-assigned number appears on the paperwork.³

Shipments Over $2,500

Anything above $2,500 requires a formal entry, which involves more detailed documentation and a customs bond. An importer number is mandatory. If you’re hiring a customs broker for a high-value import, expect to give them your SSN or an alternative number before they can file for you.¹

What a Real Request Looks Like

The request for your SSN almost never comes from a CBP officer. It comes from the shipping carrier (FedEx, UPS, DHL) or a customs broker filing electronic entry data on your behalf, and those systems require an importer number to process the release.

Legitimate requests share a few traits. They reference a specific tracking number for a shipment you’re actually expecting. They point you to the carrier’s own secure website or app to enter your information. And they don’t threaten you or demand immediate payment over the phone. If an email from your carrier asks for customs information, go to the carrier’s website by typing the URL yourself rather than clicking a link in the message. Major carriers have dedicated customs clearance portals where you can submit an identification number securely.

How to Spot a Customs SSN Scam

This is often the real reason people search the question. You got a call, text, or email claiming to be from customs, and something feels off. Trust that. CBP has issued repeated warnings about scammers impersonating officers to steal Social Security Numbers and financial information.⁵

The scam follows a pattern. A phone call, often from a spoofed number that looks governmental. The caller says CBP has intercepted a package with drugs or cash addressed to you. They insist you “verify” your identity by giving your SSN and sometimes banking details. If you hesitate, they say police are on the way. Some throw in real CBP employee names and fake badge numbers.

CBP’s own statement is worth reading in its plainest form: “If CBP suspects illegal activity, we will not call a suspect or a victim requesting money or Social Security numbers.”⁵ Any phone call demanding your SSN, a fee, or bank account details in the name of customs is a scam. Hang up. If you already shared information, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Alternatives to Handing Over Your SSN

You are not stuck using your Social Security Number for customs, even if you have one. CBP offers alternatives that accomplish the same identification purpose without putting your SSN on your import documents.

A CBP-Assigned Number

Anyone, including U.S. citizens with an SSN, can request a CBP-assigned number by filing CBP Form 5106 (Create/Update Importer Identity Form). On the form you can select the option stating that you have an SSN but want to use a CBP-assigned number on entry documents. You’ll still provide your SSN on the form itself as a contact identifier, but the CBP-assigned number is what appears on your actual filings going forward.⁶ You can submit it electronically through a customs broker using the Automated Broker Interface, or on paper at a U.S. port of entry.

For anyone who imports goods more than occasionally and wants to limit how widely their SSN circulates, this is the cleanest option. Once you have a CBP-assigned number, that’s what you give carriers and brokers.

An Employer Identification Number

If you have a business, your IRS-issued EIN works as your importer number. CBP requires documentation from the IRS confirming your EIN, such as a 147C letter, issued within the past 12 months.⁶

If You Don’t Have an SSNh3>

Non-residents and foreign businesses that have neither an SSN nor an EIN can also obtain a CBP-assigned number through Form 5106. A passport number may be collected as an identifying document when no SSN exists.⁶

What Happens If You Refuse

Refusing to provide an identification number doesn’t make the package go away. It starts a clock.

First, the shipment sits in a bonded warehouse or carrier facility. CBP cannot release goods without proper entry documentation, and the carrier cannot file that documentation without an importer number. Storage charges accumulate while it sits, and those fees can exceed the value of the goods within weeks.

If the shipment stays unclaimed for six months from the date of importation without all duties, taxes, and charges being paid, it is legally considered abandoned. CBP can then appraise the goods and sell them at public auction.⁷ Perishable goods and items likely to lose value can be sold sooner.⁸ You can reclaim the goods at any point before the sale by paying all accumulated charges, but waiting costs more each week. If you don’t want to hand over your SSN, apply for a CBP-assigned number through Form 5106 and give that to your carrier before storage fees pile up.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 USC 1484 – Entry of Merchandise
2
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Tips for New Importers and Exporters
3
eCFR. Subpart C – Informal Entry
4
Federal Register. Test Concerning Entry of Section 321 Low-Value Shipments Through the Automated Commercial Environment
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP to Public – Phone Scam Continues to Target Citizens
6
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importer Create/Update Identity Form (CBP Form 5106) FAQ
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 US Code 1491 – Unclaimed Merchandise Disposition of
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eCFR. Part 127 – General Order, Unclaimed, and Abandoned Merchandise