The Importance of Social Security Cards and What to do About a Lost or Stolen One
In an office, you are trying to close on a new home, or you may have just moved from one state to another, and you are trying to get a new driver’s license for your new resident state. You may be enrolling your children in school or have accepted a new job, and they need you to bring in your credentials.
All of these things listed above are ordinary tasks that individuals go through in life. However, you grab your wallet, and you notice something is missing. You see your loose change, photo ID, and no social security card. Your day has gone from pleasant and organized to a total nightmare.
Social security cards are essential in our daily lives. Just reciting your social security card number is not enough because this is not a case where someone “taking your word for it” is a reasonable way to identify yourself. There is a reason why two forms of identification are normally requested. It is to protect whoever is asking it and protect yourself.
Social security cards hold a 9ninedigit number, your social security number. This number is about as important as your fingerprints. It is used to track how much money you have earned and how much you have contributed towards Social Security if you were to become eligible for it once you are old enough to reap the benefit after retirement.
Including everything that was listed above, here are some more situations in which you will more than likely need your social;
- Applying For a Federal Loan
- Opening Up Financial Accounts Such As Checking or Savings
- Getting Your Driver’s License
- When Applying For a Passport
- When You Need to Apply For Government Assistance Such As Welfare
- When You Are Old Enough to Receive Medicare
As you can see, your social security card is essential because, in most of these cases, copies will be added to a file to ensure that you are who you say you are.
Some individuals carry their social security cards in their wallets daily. This practice can be very unsafe at times. When individuals lose their purses or wallets, it can be very dangerous. You may have lost your money, credit cards, license, picture ID, etc. But, just by an unwanted person having your social security number, your life could get turned upside down.
Cybercriminals all over the U.S. make their lives by taking from other hard-working individuals. With the power of your social at hand, they could apply to all types of things, such as;
Open Accounts In Your Name:
Someone with your social security card can apply for loans and open new accounts in your name. Computers and the internet have made it very convenient online, so there are sporadic cases where a photo ID is requested. This means an individual could get approved for a loan and never make a payment. This could damage your credit score and credit history.
Ruin Your Taxes:
Some criminals dig through trash cans to obtain personal information like your social security number. They will likely not need an ID to file bad taxes on your behalf. This is very dangerous because a problem with the Government is not something to joke around about. The scary part is that if this were to happen, they would be coming after you, not the thief. You will be investigated and wave to prove that it was not you who did the filing. Some of these offenses can be punishable with fines and even time in jail.
Pretend to Be You During Criminal Acts:
Imagine waking up to a doorbell ring, and as you look through your peephole, there is a group of officers. They may be serving your papers to inform you that you have been sued, or they could even have a warrant for your arrest. Thieves could easily be caught during a crime and present their personal information instead of their own. This will put you in a judicial mess that could lead to lifelong damage.
Although all of these things are possible and rare, you must always keep your social security card in a safe place. A place aike a personal safe or a hidden compartment in your home that you only know about are some good places to keep this type of information away from the wrong hands. Some individuals even store them in a safe box at their bank. Regardless, it is essential to keep it out of danger.
We can only do so much to protect ourselves, but sometimes life happens. Ut does life not always happen so smoothly every day? You may lose your wallet, or worse, someone may rob you. What if you find yourself a victim of theft and your social security card is involved? What should you do if you flat out lose the card?
The first thing you should do is take immediate action as soon as possible. Every moment could be the difference between quickly avoiding any damaging effects in your personal life or becoming extremely stressed out due to someone ruining your life.
Your next action plan is to view your credit reports to see if there are any activities tou do not recognize. You should also contact the credit bureaus to inform them of your situation. This will allow them to issue a fraud alert that you must renew every 90 days.
Your next step is to figure out where to get a social security card. This document is often needed, and situations don’t have a replacement copy very soon. Most of the time, you visit the Social Security Administration office is where to get a social security card. If not, they should be able to point you in the right direction. In some cases, you may be able to obtain a replacement card online, but if you are not able to do that, here are some documents you may need to gather to proceed with the process of getting a new one;
- Proof of Citizenship, Such As a U.S. Passport
- Documents to Prove Your Age, Such As a Birth Certificate
- PConfirmationof Your Identity, Such As Your Driver’s License
You should also notify the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission of what has occurred. If you believe your social security card has been stolen, contact the police and file a report with them.
In the worst-case scenario, you may have to obtain a new social security number. TYou would have to prove that you have tried to dispute credit report inaccuracies and that the problems you are having are too difficult to fix. His process can be complicated, so this road should only be traveled if you know without a doubt that your original SSN is at risk. The bad part about obtaining a new number is that your old number will still exist, so the damage is still there, and you would have to start over when building your credit. Please be aware that it is normal practice that new SSNs are not willingly just given out, so there is a chance that you may not receive a new one.