Have you ever wondered how to find someone’s social security number? You may already know that this isn’t some public information you can easily pull out there. But there are instances where it is super necessary to find that person’s SSN. Fortunately, we will talk about all the best ways to find people’s social security numbers for free and legal. You’ll also learn how to keep your own SSN secure.
What is the Social Security number?
The Social Security Number is a unique randomly assigned nine-digit numerical identity given to U.S. citizens and eligible residents. Initially, it was meant to help track earnings for Social Security benefits like retirement and disability income. However, today, your SSN aids identification, tracking income and tax, and determining benefits. You also need your SSN to apply for loans, open bank accounts, make major purchases, obtain government benefits, and more. Other details an SSN can reveal include criminal history, traffic violation history and other vital facts.
Yes, it can be legal to find someone’s social security number, especially with their consent. It only becomes illegal if used in a manner to adopt that person’s identity or obtain someone of value with the information. The move to find a person’s SSN number comes in handy, for hiring purposes, taxes, and financial transactions. It can be used to find out someone’s creditworthiness, child support issues, judgment collection, and even litigation. However, SSNs are not public records and should be kept secure and private. So, you should also handle the SSN lookup with care and adhere to all data privacy laws.
How to find someone’s SSN legally?
It’s important to follow these legal and secure ways to find someone’s SSN. These methods are not only effective. They also protect you and your loved one from data theft.
Direct consent
The best way to find someone’s SSN is by asking them directly. Depending on the circumstances and your relationship, they might provide the number or their SSN card to you.
Employment record
The Social Security Administration demands all employers verify their employee’s SSN before employing them. This ensures their wages, taxes, and payroll tax contributions are correctly compiled. So, you can contact their former employer to see if they can provide it. Do note, that the employer may be unlikely to offer such details unless your identity is verified and consent is expressed from the target.
Court order
It’s possible to get a court order as part of the process of finding someone’s SSN. This usually happens in civil cases like child support or fraud investigations. Law enforcement agencies may get a court order to obtain someone’s SSN as part of a criminal investigation. Also, the court might order the Social Security Administration (SSA) to disclose someone’s SSN as part of legal proceedings like bankruptcy and immigration issues.
Social Security Administration (SSA)
The Social Security Administration also issues annual Social Security Statements to individuals. These statements contain details about their income and benefits. So, you can ask your target for these records. Alternatively, your target can ask for a replacement of their Social Security Card. This replacement is free and can be requested online if they are not updating any information.
However, they will have to provide a state-issued ID and visit the local Social Security Administration office to prove their identity. That said, please note that the Social Security Administration limits how many replacement cards they can request. Typically, you cannot request more than replacements, a year and 10 over your lifetime.
DMV records
Although the SSN does not appear on driver’s license or any other document issued by the DMV, this can also be a great way to find a person’s SSN. Typically, the DMV often collects your SSN when you apply for a driver’s license. Their objective is verifying your status as a legal resident or citizen in the United States. So, it’s possible to see if you can request your SSN from their records.
Professional service
If you’ve tried all the ways on how to find someone’s social security number without luck, try a professional service. Private investigators are licensed to unearth such information through legal means. And they can provide you with up to date and accurate information. However, Private Investigators are very expensive. You might pay up to a hundred dollars for a single search.
Check tax and financial documents
Your bank statements and summaries from investment accounts may also contain your social security number. Usually, this would be written at the top of the document. If you cannot find it there, try other financial documents, such as tax forms like W-2s, 1099s, or even tax returns documents.
It’s important to keep your children’s social security numbers handy for a variety of reasons. Here’s how you can find their social security number whenever you need it.
First, like your SSN card, you can also check for their social security number on their card. It’s generally printed in front and is the fastest way to validate their SSN. If you can’t find the card, you may have to request a new one using the Form SS-5 and provide documents proving your identity, your child’s citizenship status, and your relationship with them.
School records
Schools often ask for your child’s SSN at registration. So, if you’ve provided the information before, you can ask for it. Don’t forget that you’ll need to prove your identity as your child’s guardian to access the information.
Birth certificate
Your child’s birth certificate may not contain their social security number. Typically, you should have applied for your child’s SSN when you were issued their birth certificate at the hospital. If you haven’t applied, you can present your birth certificate to get your child’s social security number from the local SSA agency.
How to find a person’s SSN without a card
Now let’s talk about other nefarious ways malicious agents might use to find a person’s SSN number. Knowing this, helps you remain aware to actively work hard towards protecting your SSN number.
Data breaches
Many organizations including businesses, government agencies, medical facilities and educational institutions often use your SSN as the primary identifier. So, they hold this information on physical or online record keeping systems. If ever such a database is breached by hackers, they can get a hold of sensitive data like the SSNs.
Phishing scam
You might receive an email, text or phone call pretending to be from a legitimate entity. For instance, they might pretend to be your employer trying to get you to fill a form with your SSN. Or they might claim to be from some legitimate government agency trying to trick you into revealing your SSN.
Dark web
The dark web hosts underground marketplaces where stolen data including SSNs are bought and sold. Hence, malicious agents might purchase these SSNs in order to use them for nefarious purposes.
Social engineering
Malicious actors might befriend you online especially via forums and social media in order to gain your trust. They can also pose as a government official, tech support or even a celebrity you adore. Often their goal is extracting information like your SSN which allows them to commit all kinds of identity scams or even financial theft in your name.
Pretexting
Similar to social engineering, pretexting involves creating a false scenario. For instance, they might reach out pretending to be from your child’s school, asking for their SSN. Usually, they will state there’s a problem and pressure you to act immediately.
Dumpster diving
Criminals often rummage through trash looking for documents containing personal information like names, addresses, SSNs, bank account information and other personal details. Their idea is to find any information they can exploit for competitive advantage or financial gain.
Can I find someone by SSN?
It’s possible to try finding someone through the SSN. You can consider using Google Search to search for their SSN, checking on social media sites or carrying out an SSN reverse lookup online. However, it isn’t always possible to find their SSN this way, especially if they haven’t provided the information to the public.
If someone has your social security number, they can try to impersonate you. Usually, they might use it to obtain credit, open bank accounts, apply for jobs, steal tax refunds, or steal government benefits. So, you need to protect your SSN using these steps:
- Active monitoring: Ensure to monitor your credit reports and bank accounts quarterly for any suspicious charges or accounts you didn’t open. You can also request tax transcripts from the IRS or verify your income with the Social Security Administration as well. If you can afford one, consider hiring a credit monitoring service to monitor in real time.
- Act promptly: if you ever find any unusual activities, act immediately. Report to your credit report agency. Place a credit freeze on the three major credit agencies. Contact the Social Security Administration online at oig.ssa.gov or call the hotline at 1-800-269-027. You need to do this to notify of fraudulent use, or in case you misplaced your card, the potential for it.
- Contact the police: Always file a police report if your SSN card was stolen or someone used your SSN.
- Dispose documents safely: Always shred all documents containing personal information before you discard them. You should also wipe hard drives and destroy old electronics before disposal. And always be aware of what you throw away in any trash can.
- Store safely: Avoid carrying your SSN card on your person. And don’t enter your SSN into your phone, or other devices. Keep the number in your head, with the card locked up at home or via a safety deposit box.
- Review your passports: Evaluate your passwords and reset them. Ensure you are not reusing passwords for multiple accounts.
- Multiple alerts: Set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all your online accounts. That way, you stay on the alert for any thing that can cause you personal or financial harm.
Conclusion
Now you know how to find someone’s social security number through legal and secure techniques. Having that information can especially help if you’re hiring someone, or want to uncover their criminal past. Also, it’s essential to remain aware of all the ways malicious agents may try to find someone’s SSN. That way, you can work hard to protect your social security details from their prying eyes.
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