                


              Your Social Security Number


Department of Health and Human Services
Social Security Administration
SSA Publication No. 05-10002


Introduction

Many of us got our Social Security number about the time we got
our first job. It was a symbol of our right to work and our
responsibility to pay taxes. And, like getting a driver's
license, it was symbolic of becoming an adult. Today, most
children have their Social Security numbers by age 1. And many
parents apply for a number for their newborns even before they
leave the hospital! 

Just as having a Social Security number is no longer a symbol of
adulthood, the number's use is no longer confined to working and
paying taxes. In ever increasing numbers, government agencies,
schools, and businesses rely on Social Security numbers to
identify people in their computer systems. Everyone seems to want
your Social Security number.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is aware of concerns
about the increasing uses of the Social Security number for
client identification and recordkeeping purposes. However,
several other government agencies are permitted by law to use
Social Security numbers, and the law generally does not prohibit
any use of the numbers by the private sector. Banks and other -
financial institutions use the numbers to report interest earned
on accounts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Other
government agencies use Social Security numbers in computer
matching operations to stop fraud and abuse. For example, using
Social Security numbers, some state death records are matched to
Medicare records to uncover Medicare and Social Security fraud.

Privacy Of Records

Although we can't prevent others from asking for your number, you
should know that giving it to them does not give them access to
your Social Security records. The privacy of your records is
guaranteed unless 1) disclosure to another government agency is
required by law or 2) the information is needed to conduct Social
Security or other government health or welfare programs.

If a business or other enterprise asks you for your Social
Security number, you can refuse to give it to them. However, that
may mean doing without the purchase or service for which your
number was requested. 

Our primary message is this: be careful with your Social Security
number and protect its privacy whenever possible.

The Original Purpose Of The Social Security Number

When SSA began keeping records in 1935, it needed a system to
keep track of the earnings, and eventually the benefits, of
people who worked in jobs covered under the new program. Because
many people use more than one name over a lifetime or share the
same name, a numerical identifier was selected. 

What The Numbers Mean

The nine-digit Social Security number is divided into three
parts. The first three numbers generally indicate the state of
residence at the time a person applies for his or her first card.
Originally, the lowest numbers were assigned to the New England
states, and the numbers grew progressively higher in the South
and West. However, in recent years, this geographical
relationship has been disrupted somewhat by the need to allocate
numbers out of sequence to certain growing and populous states.
The middle two digits of a Social Security number have no special
significance, but merely serve to break the numbers into blocks
of convenient size. The last four characters represent a straight
numerical progression of assigned numbers.

SSA has issued about 365 million Social Security numbers, and
about 10 million new numbers are assigned each year. But even at
this rate, there will be no need to reissue the same numbers,
revise the present system, or devise a new numbering system for
several generations. For this reason, SSA plans to continue using
the nine-digit number. 

Types Of Social Security Cards

SSA issues three types of Social Security cards. One, the
familiar card most people have, has been issued since 1935. It
shows the person's name and Social Security number, and it lets
the person work without restriction. SSA issues it to U. S.
citizens and permanent resident aliens.

A second type of card bears the legend  NOT VALID FOR
EMPLOYMENT.  SSA issues it to people from other countries who are
admitted to the United States on a temporary basis but not for
work, and who need a number for other purposes, such as banking.
SSA began issuing the third type of card in 1992. It bears the
legend  VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION.  It is issued
to people who are admitted to the United States on a temporary
basis with Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
employment authorization.

Protecting Your Social Security Number And Records
When you work, your Social Security number is used to record your
earnings. Here are some things you can do to protect your Social
Security record and to make sure it is accurate.
Show your Social Security card to your employer when you start a
job.

Check the name and Social Security number on your pay stub and
W-2 form to make sure your name and number are correct.
Keep your card in a safe place and don't rely on your memory. If
you give your employer the wrong Social Security number, your
earnings may get credited to some other worker.
Send for an earnings statement every three years to make sure
your record is right. The statement is available free of charge
from Social Security by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Social Security Number Misuse

Sometimes more than one person uses the same Social Security
number, either on purpose or not. You should let us know if
someone is using a Social Security number that belongs to someone
else.

Also, the Social Security card should not be used as an
identification card. Because the Social Security card doesn't
have a photograph, other records are more reliable when
identification is needed, such as cashing checks. 

It is against the law to use someone else's Social Security
number or to give false information when applying for a number.
Also, it is illegal to alter, buy, or sell Social Security cards.
Anyone convicted of these crimes is subject to stiff fines and/or
imprisonment.

If Someone Else Uses Your Social Security Number 
What Social Security Can Do

If you suspect that someone else is using your number for work,
you should report it to Social Security. You also can check your
earnings record by calling 1-800-772-1213 and asking for a
Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement. Your statement
will show the earnings reported to your Social Security number
each year since 1951. If you find that too much or too little is
reported for your number, notify Social Security. We will help
you correct your record.

What Social Security Cannot Do

If your Social Security number has been used to run up bills or
obtain credit, Social Security cannot straighten out your credit
record. You must contact each creditor or credit agency yourself.
We cannot fix incorrect reports made by an employer to state
unemployment or welfare offices. You will need to contact the
state or local agency to correct your record.

Because there is no law concerning the use of a person's Social
Security number by a private individual or organization, Social
Security has no control over such use.

Misleading Advertising Practices

Some private firms sell metal or plastic Social Security cards or
offer them free as a  come on  for other business offers.
Although SSA does not encourage the use of these cards, they are
not illegal. However, make sure your number is correct if you
decide to use these services.

Sometimes private firms offer, for a fee, to obtain a number for
a newborn child or get a revised card for a bride showing her new
name. Generally, these businesses are not illegal, but remember
that both services are free when you contact Social Security
directly. It is illegal for private firms to use words that
seemingly represent Social Security or emblems that suggest a
government affiliation to solicit business.

If you receive something you think is illegal, turn over the
entire package, including the envelope, to your local Social
Security office or send the material to the Social Security
Administration, Office of Public Affairs, Misleading Advertising,
Box 17740, Baltimore, MD 21235. If you wish, you also can turn
over the material to local postal authorities.

Applying For A New Or Replacement Card

If you need to replace a lost Social Security card, change the
name shown on your card, or request a new card, just call or
visit Social Security. These services are free. You will need to
complete a short form and furnish identification.

To get a replacement card, you usually need one identifying
document. To change the name on your card, you need documentation
that shows your old name and your new name. If you were born
outside the United States, you also generally must show proof of
U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status. Your replacement card
will have the same number as your old card.

For a new card, you will need to provide documents that show your
age, citizenship or lawful alien status, and who you are   for
example, a birth certificate and a school record. Call Social
Security for more examples.  

For More Information

For more information or to get a form to request a Personal
Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement, call Social Security
toll free at 1-800-772-1213. 

You can speak to a representative any business day 7 a.m. to 7
p.m. The best times to call are early in the morning and early in
the evening. And if you can, it's best to call later in the week
and later in the month. When you call, have your Social Security
number handy.

The Social Security Administration treats all calls
confidentially whether they're made to our toll-free numbers or
to one of our local offices. We also want to ensure that you
receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a
second Social Security representative monitor some incoming and
outgoing telephone calls.

