Don't want scammers to access your SSN? You can lock it down completely.
fstop123/Getty ImagesIdentity theft has evolved into a high-stakes industry, and your Social Security number is the ultimate skeleton key for scammers. While you're distracted by the chaos of a winter storm or busy planning a Valentine's getaway, cybercriminals are banking on your lack of digital situational awareness. Your SSN isn't just a random string of digits; it's the gateway to your financial soul, used for everything from opening fraudulent lines of credit to hijacking your tax returns and medical records.
But you don't have to just cross your fingers and hope for the best. There's a free, powerful defense you can use: lock your SSN and freeze your credit.
An "SSN lock" (like the E-Verify Self Lock) stops someone from using your number to get a job, while a credit freeze stops them from opening new credit cards or loans in your name. Yes, it adds an extra step when you need to apply for something, but that's a tiny hassle compared to the nightmare of cleaning up after an identity thief. You might even want to seek assistance from an identity protection service. If your info was in a breach, stop waiting and lock it down.
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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 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday. Wait times are usually shorter in the morning and later in the week. Once you confirm your identity, the SSA will wave its magic wand and block electronic access to your SSN.
Create an E-Verify account
You can also create a MyE-Verify online account to lock your SSN and use the service's self-lock feature. The lock will last one year. But you'll be alerted 30 days before it expires and you can extend the lock if you choose.
This resource comes in handy because many employers use E-Verify, a service administered by the SSA and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, to check your employment eligibility.
When you lock your Social Security number, a company looking to verify your SSN won't be able to verify your identity, stopping criminals from committing fraud. This option is also handy if you don't want to pick up the phone every time you want to unlock your SSN.
The downside of locking your SSN
The main drawback to locking your SSN will sound very familiar to anyone who has a credit freeze in place. When you block access to your SSN records, you also restrict your access to it. This means you'll have to go through the hassle of unlocking it whenever you need a new employer to verify your eligibility to work in the US or you want to receive government benefits.
This back and forth may be worth it to individuals who have suffered from employment identity theft and tax fraud. For added protection against tax identity theft, you can create an identity protection pin with the IRS to prevent someone else from filing a tax return with your SSN or individual taxpayer identification number.
What's the difference between locking your SSN and a credit freeze?
A credit freeze is different from a Social Security number lock, though both are free. One blocks access to your Social Security record online while a credit freeze restricts access to your credit reports. To conduct a credit freeze, you'll need to contact all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) to stop anyone from creating credit accounts in your name.
Will locking my SSN protect me from identity theft?
The answer here is pretty unsatisfying: It might. Locking your Social Security number can prevent employment identity theft or stop a criminal from collecting government benefits in your name. But it won't prevent all forms of ID theft. As an added precaution, you should share your Social Security number only when it is absolutely necessary and never on an unprompted call or text message.
It's also a good idea to monitor your financial accounts and your credit reports for any unusual activity. If you'd prefer to have a service do this for you, you can sign up for a credit monitoring service or an ID theft protection service. You can often enroll in credit monitoring to keep an eye on your credit reports. ID theft protection often includes credit monitoring as well as dark web monitoring and alerts if your information is compromised in a data breach. If your identity is compromised, identity theft protection can help you recover it through white glove restoration services.
For extra security, you can freeze your credit with Experian, TransUnion and Equifax to prevent identity thieves from opening new lines of credit, like a mortgage or a car loan, in your name. I did this recently and found the process surprisingly easy.