Guard Your Card - Protect What's Important to You and Your Clients
Date:
Dear Colleague,
As part of our ongoing commitment to help the public protect their identity, I encourage you and your clients to safeguard your Social Security number and Social Security card. The best way to “Guard Your Card” is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required. Do not carry the card every day. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough. For example, when requesting a Real ID, all states, except for Pennsylvania, no longer require seeing your Social Security card.
Your clients should be careful about sharing their Social Security number when asked for it. It's important to always ask why the number is needed, how it will be used, and what will happen if it is not provided.
If your client needs to request a replacement Social Security card, they may be able to use their personal my Social Security account to request it on our website. If they live in one of 45 participating states or the District of Columbia, and they do not need any changes to the replacement card, they can request it free online.
Visit our Social Security Number and Card webpage to learn more about Social Security cards. Read and share our factsheet, How You Can Help Us Protect Your Social Security Number and Keep Your Information Safe, and infographic, Guard Your Card, with your clients, friends, and family.
Thank you for sharing this message with your clients to help protect them against Social Security number misuse and identify theft.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Buckner
Associate Commissioner
Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
@SSAOutreach