Your social security number is the doorway to your credit and should be treated like gold and very carefully protected and guarded. Rather than keeping your social security card in your wallet or purse, find a safe place to keep it and yet have access to it when it might be needed (for instance, employers will require a copy of your social security card when you start a new job.). Some have made it a practice to write their social security number on their checks. This is not a good practice to use and it is definitely not safe.

Although there are many situations where we have to give out our social security number (filling in information for the doctor’s office; schools, applying for loans, etc), there are also many times when we are asked for it, but do not have to give it out or can have is substituted with another number. When possible, ask the business or agency to substitute your social security number with another identifier. This might be possible when:

-getting your driver’s license;
-getting your health insurance (especially if your social security number is used as your policy number or group member identifier);
-attending any type of school that uses an identifying number on documents.

Of course, this does not completely eliminate any risk of being a victim of identity theft, but it is one of many ways that you can be protected from becoming a victim. Do not be afraid to find the following answers to determine if your social security number even needs to be provided:

-Why do they need your social security number;
-How will your social security number be used;
-How will your social security number be protected from being stolen;
-What are the consequences if your social security number is not provided

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 8:00 am and is filed under Articles Concerning Identity Theft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.