Can I Use Coinbase Without Ssn

You Won’t Believe What Hackers Can Do With Your SSN

T-Mobile appear in August that the names, Social Security numbers and other personal information of about 50 million people who did business with the jail cell phone carrier had been compromised in a data breach.


Come across:five Things Nigh Americans Don’t Know About Social Security
Notice:x Reasons You lot Should Claim Social Security Early

Earlier, in Apr, it was the School of Medicine at Stanford Academy that confirmed hackers had leaked stolen personal data obtained via a compromised file transfer system, part of a bigger breach that impacted other health systems in the U.Due south.

Another calendar month, another piece of bad news. While we’ve grown accustomed to hearing about hacking, you still might be amazed and appalled by the many means a scammer can fraudulently use your Social Security number.

Detect some of the awful — but very real — consequences that might happen if your SSN gets stolen, and learn how to forbid or deal with these worst-case scenarios.


Final updated: October. fourteen, 2021

Hackers can utilise your SSN to get credit cards in your name.

“The important affair for people to sympathize is that once someone has your Social Security number, particularly in combination with your name and accost, they can practise pretty much anything that requires your SSN,” said Brian Focht, an chaser and head of the Constabulary Offices of Brian C. Focht in Charlotte, North Carolina, who lists cybersecurity and privacy police amongst his practice areas.

Focht said that fraudulently obtaining credit cards is by far the most common SSN scam that he sees in his practice. It is possible for a hacker to get a credit carte with just your name, address and Social Security number. Once the credit cards are in place, fraudsters tin run upwards a lot of debt.

Generally speaking, criminals aim to get the nigh they can with the least attempt, Focht said. In his view, keeping your SSN safe requires ii things: understanding and implementing security all-time practices, and luck.

“The best that anyone tin do these days is be suspicious virtually anyone/anything that asks for personal information,” Focht said. “If it doesn’t seem correct, information technology’s probably not. Beyond that, in that location’due south only a lot that is way out of anyone’s control.”

Pro tip:
If you doubtable someone has opened a credit card in your name, Focht said your first calls should be to the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Don’t only contact one — phone call all three.


Discover:Social Security Benefits Might Get Cutting Early — What Does It Mean for You?

They can utilize your SSN to open a phone business relationship in your name.

It’southward easy for criminals to open a phone account in your proper noun if they have your name, address and SSN, Focht said. Ane of his clients learned that her SSN had been stolen when she received a Verizon Wireless bill. Information technology turned out that someone had opened an account in her proper noun, and so purchased several expensive phones, charging them to the account.

“What was particularly irksome in her case was that the accounts were opened using an address the client hadn’t lived at for more than a decade,” Focht said.

Pro tip:
Focht said that telephone companies ordinarily have fraud departments to deal with stolen services. Immediately permit the department know what is going on, and then follow up with a letter. You might need to send a copy of that letter to the credit agencies if the issue shows up on your credit report.


Look:Next Year’s Social Security Checks Could Get Biggest COLA Bump in thirteen Years

They can use your SSN to merits your tax refund.

In 2020, nearly 170 million people filed tax returns for tax year 2019, including traditional not-filers who submitted information to get their economic impact payments. That year, the Internal Revenue Service issued most 126 million refunds, accounting for about 74% of all filers. The average refund was $two,549.

So, imagine the daze if — rather than that long-awaited check — you instead received notice that someone else already filed a return in your proper name and received your taxation refund.

This tin can happen if a scammer gets your name and SSN and simply files a return in your name. While your best bet is to keep your SSN private, both the IRS and Federal Merchandise Commission tin assist you if this happens.

Pro tip:
There are many things yous can do to assist protect your tax refund. Learn to recognize phishing emails seeking your personal information and calls from scammers posing equally your bank, credit card company or the IRS. No bank, taxing dominance or responsible business typically asks for your SSN online. Care for whatever such asking every bit a scam.

They can use your SSN to get a driver’due south license in your name.

When asked for a photo identity, you are probable to whip out your commuter’s license. It is accustomed as proof of who you are, where you lot live and how old you are. So if an identity thief is able to obtain a driver’s license in your name, it opens many fraudulent doors.

To get a driver’s license, you mostly accept to pass a written exam, a driving test and an center test, and provide your name, accost and SSN. A hacker might be able to get a commuter’southward license in your proper noun without you even knowing it.

Pro tip:
If you believe that your name and Social Security number were used to obtain a fraudulent commuter’south license, immediately contact your land Department of Motor Vehicles. Warning signs could be traffic tickets issued in states you have never visited or warrants for your arrest you know nothing about.


Related: Are Social Security Benefits Taxable?

They can use your SSN to open a bank account in your name.

If you lot think back to when you opened your first banking concern business relationship, you’ll remember that the depository financial institution didn’t require much information other than your name, address and SSN. That means that anyone with your SSN tin hands open up a depository financial institution account in your name, especially if the identity thief already obtained a driver’s license in your proper noun.

Why would someone want to open a bank account in your name? You tin can be sure information technology is not to add to your savings. The hacker could use it as a landing spot for transfers from your legitimate bank business relationship.

Pro tip:
The infinitesimal you doubtable your SSN has been stolen, call the fraud departments of the three credit reporting agencies and place a fraud alert on your file. This tells creditors to telephone call y’all earlier they open whatever new accounts in your name.

Information technology’s likewise disquisitional to keep on top of your money. Using an online cyberbanking app makes information technology easier to monitor your account.

They can employ your SSN to bleed your existing bank accounts.

Identity hackers too can use your stolen SSN to dip into any of your existing bank accounts. Armed with that noesis, they simply can transfer money.

If they hacked your SSN, they might take obtained your passwords and the answers to undercover security questions, besides, such equally your mother’southward maiden proper noun. The drain on your accounts might be gradual — or y’all might wake up to find your entire savings gone. Hackers also accept begun to utilize apps such as Zelle to transfer money illegally.

Pro tip:
Information technology’southward important to protect yourself from hackers and scammers. Monitor your bank account on a daily basis to identify the slightest unfamiliar withdrawal or other changes to the account. The before you take hold of the fraud, the easier it will exist to deal with it.

They can use your SSN to claim your Social Security check.

Although y’all are regularly asked to use your SSN for identification, its master purpose is linked to your Social Security benefits.  The government keeps track of your earnings and your Social Security revenue enhancement payments with your SSN, and yous need it in guild to claim Social Security retirement or inability benefits.

For example, if you are eligible for Social Security retirement benefits merely accept opted to look until y’all accomplish total retirement age, a hacker with your SSN could employ for those benefits in your name. Because Social Security benefits are usually deposited directly into a banking company account, you lot might not even discover this until you try to apply for benefits years downwards the route.

Pro tip:
It’s a expert idea to check your Social Security business relationship in one case or twice a year to make sure everything looks as it should. If you believe that a scammer is using your SSN to collect your Social Security benefits, phone call the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 800-269-0271.


Theft Threat? How To Protect Your Financial Information From ‘Information Hungry’ Apps

They tin utilise your SSN to get a loan in your name.

Steven J.J. Weisman, author of “Identity Theft Alarm: 10 Rules Y’all Must Follow to Protect Yourself from America’s #i Offense,” said that i of the worst things an identity thief can do with your Social Security number is to obtain a loan in your name. To do this, the hacker would first need to use your SSN to access your credit reports. Then, using the data, an identity thief could get a loan in your proper name — and never pay information technology dorsum.

This is not only bad for your credit, Weisman said, but information technology tin can besides affect your power to get a task, rent an flat, get insurance or obtain a loan. All of these things often depend on having a proficient credit report.

If this blazon of fraud happens to you lot, you demand to contact the lender involved, the police and the FTC. The issue tin can be difficult and time-consuming to ready.

Pro tip:
Weisman said it’due south easier to safeguard your SSN than it is to repair ruined credit after someone has stolen information technology.

“You should not behave your Social Security number in your wallet or purse,” he said. “Yous should not provide information technology as an identifying number to anybody who asks for it. Many places ask for information technology just don’t need it by law.”

The lesson here: Always enquire if your SSN is actually needed.

They tin can use your SSN to receive medical treatment under your insurance.

Medical records typically lay out a patient’s complete identity, co-ordinate to CNBC — which means that if there’south a breach affecting healthcare systems, hackers can do a lot with what they’ve stolen. That includes accessing your medical insurance.

Weisman said scammers can incur large medical bills in your proper name that might not be covered by your medical insurance. In that case, you’ll be hounded by collection companies for payment. This volition definitely injure your credit score.

Pro tip:
Weisman said you need to stay on top of your medical records. “Just equally you lot should regularly bank check your credit study, you lot also should regularly cheque your medical records to make sure that there are not mistakes,” he said.

Today, most medical providers have online records but not all do. Ask your provider how best to review your records.

They can employ your SSN to identify themselves when picked upwardly for criminal activity.

In some types of SSN fraud, you, the victim, can get arrested and thrown in jail. This could happen if the SSN thief commits a law-breaking and uses your name and SSN to identify himself when apprehended. Weisman said this scenario becomes fifty-fifty worse when the hacker posts bail and then doesn’t show up for the hearing.

“In that event, criminal charges volition be on tape confronting the identity theft victim (you lot), who will take difficulty straightening this out,” said Weisman, an attorney who includes identity theft as role of his practice.

Pro tip:
If you practise become a victim of this type of fraud, Weisman said you should contact the credit reporting agencies and demand they remove the fake information from your credit report. You besides should file a criminal complaint for identity theft with the local police so that it is a matter of record.


Find Out More: How To Set a Error on Your Credit Report

They can use your SSN to pay for their utilities.

For a customer to apply their services, it’s pretty standard for utility companies to ask for your Social Security number every bit a manner to check your credit history, according to the FTC. But this just ways at that place’s another opportunity for a hacker to become your personal information and unfairly wreak havoc on your finances. In one case your SSN lands in the hands of hackers, they can freely open utility services under your name for their personal use. You might non run across whatever signs of this until you receive a notice for a past due payment.

Pro tip:
Earlier y’all mindlessly requite out your SSN, take a moment to enquire well-nigh the company’s security policies and what measures are in place to protect you and your SSN.

They can sell your identity to launch spam attacks.

Although it might seem every bit if credit cards and loans are the endgame for near hackers who steal your SSN, that’due south not ever the instance. Hackers likewise utilise your SSN to admission information most y’all to sell.

According to an NPR report, some documents can sell for large money — and there was a large jump in price from 2020 to 2021. Details about credit cards with account balances of upwards to $1,000 can fetch the hacker $150, up from $12 a year ago. The fee goes upwards to $240 for data about accounts with balances as high as $v,000. Stolen online banking logos for accounts with a minimum balance of at least $2,000 get for $120.

Pro tip:
Your SSN is precious, so try to find an alternative earlier opting to give it out. Alternates could include your driver’s license or an account number.


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Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting for this article.

Nearly the Author

Source: https://www.gobankingrates.com/retirement/social-security/what-hackers-can-do-with-ssn/

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