The Social Security Administration cannot
fix your credit record if someone has misused your Social Security
number (SSN) to obtain credit. To resolve your credit problems, you
need to contact the institution that authorized the credit and/or
issued the credit card, as well as the major credit reporting agencies.
Obtain a copy of your credit report and ask that an alert be placed
on your credit record requiring that you be contacted before credit
is extended using your name and SSN. The three major credit reporting
agencies are:
- Equifax
— 1-800-525-6285
- Trans
Union — 1-800-680-7289
- Experian
— 1-888-397-3742
Work with each credit bureau, creditor, employer and government agency involved
to remove inaccurate information from your records. You should continue checking
your credit report annually for inaccuracies. Keep copies of your correspondence,
records of your telephone calls and other documents verifying your efforts
to correct the problem.
You may also want to contact the Federal
Trade Commission's Identity Theft
Hotline toll free at:
Under certain circumstances, SSA may assign you a new SSN if, after
making all efforts to resolve the problems caused by someone else’s
misuse of your
SSN, you are still being disadvantaged by the misuse. There is no guarantee
that a new number will resolve your problem.
A new SSN will NOT be assigned to you if you:
- Are trying to avoid the law or your legal responsibility.
- Intend to avoid disclosure of a poor credit or criminal record
when you are at fault.
- Have no proof that someone else caused the problem.
- Have lost your Social Security card or it was stolen but there
is no evidence that your SSN is being misused and you are being
disadvantaged.
If you can document that you are being disadvantaged because of
the misuse of your SSN, visit your local SSA field office to request
a new SSN, or contact SSA directly at:
SSA is the only agency authorized to issue a SSN and if you are
eligible no fee is charged. Any private concern that offers to
obtain a new SSN for a fee
is most likely bogus and will provide no real service. In addition, the number
they supply may be fraudulent and your use of such a number could constitute
a crime.
The Federal government and numerous states have passed laws
prohibiting identity theft. Anyone who intentionally uses the
Social Security number of another person to establish a new identity
or defraud the government is breaking the law.
To get more information about Social Security numbers and identity
theft, download the following publications
FTC Information
Social Security Information
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www.socialsecurity.gov
