Helping to prevent Identity Theft

Worried About Identity Theft? Locking your Social Security Number May Help

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 their magic wand and block electronic access to your SSN number.

https://www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/phone.html

https://www.e-verify.gov/employees/employee-self-services/mye-verify/self-lock

Further, you should consider freezing your credit.

When you place a security freeze, creditors and bad actors cannot access your credit report. This will keep them from approving any new credit account in your name, whether it is fraudulent or legitimate. 

To let lenders and other companies access your credit files again to create new accounts, you will need to lift your credit freeze permanently or temporarily. 

https://www.usa.gov/credit-freeze

Note: there is no charge to do a credit freeze. If you are being prompted to pay, you are looking in the wrong place.

Freeze or lift the freeze on your credit report for free by contacting each of the three major credit reporting agencies:

• Equifax

• Experian

• TransUnion

You can submit your request online, by phone, or by mail.