--- title: 7 Steps to Take When ID Theft Happens With Your Social Security Number description: Your Social Security number has been compromised by ID theft. Here are the seven steps you need to take to protect your finances and personal information from further damage. image: https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/woman-looking-at-smartphone-in-shock_webopt.jpg --- [![MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2](https://go.hfcu.org/hs-fs/hubfs/MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2.png?width=464&name=MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2.png "MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2")](https://go.hfcu.org/blog) Filter by Category** - [Show All](https://go.hfcu.org/blog) - [Security](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/security) - [Personal Finance](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/personal-finance) - [Auto](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/auto) - [Business](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/business) - [Credit Score](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/credit-score) - [Home](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/home) - [Credit Cards](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/credit-cards) - [Life Changes](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/life-changes) - [Insurance](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/insurance) - [Investments](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/investments) Filter by Category** - 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[dormant account (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/dormant-account) - [inactive account (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/inactive-account) # 7 Steps to Take When ID Theft Happens With Your Social Security Number ** [Hanscom Federal Credit Union](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/author/hanscom-federal-credit-union) ** Apr 05, 2019 ![woman-looking-at-smartphone-in-shock_webopt](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/woman-looking-at-smartphone-in-shock_webopt.jpg) Like millions of Americans, I regularly field calls from scammers who threaten me with jail time because I haven't paid my taxes or who tell me the police are coming to my workplace to serve me with papers for a bogus debt. However, earlier this week I got a call from a fraudster who scared me when she said the last four digits of my Social Security number. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. My personal information had been exposed in [the Equifax data breach](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/top-precautions-to-take-following-the-equifax-hack), but up till this point, I wasn't sure it was being used for nefarious activities. Now I knew for sure it was. If my credit card had been stolen, I could simply get a new card with a new number...problem solved. But my Social Security number? Those four digits? Those numbers will never change and are so closely woven into the fabric of my life, that knowing they were vulnerable to abuse made me angry, then determined to protect them, and myself, from further harm. When ID theft involves your Social Security number, here are seven steps you need to take *immediately*: 1. **Initiate security freezes on your credit reports with [Experian](https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html), [Equifax](https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/), and [TransUnion](https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze)**. A security freeze prevents unauthorized access to your credit report so no new credit can be opened in your name. It also means if you apply for credit, you'll need to lift the freezes for legitimate credit checks. Each credit bureau has specific steps you'll need to follow to unfreeze your credit report before you (legitimately) apply for a loan, credit card, or mortgage. Some good news, however: [placing a security freeze at all three bureaus is free thanks to a relatively new federal law](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/09/free-credit-freezes-are-here). 2. **Check your credit reports for suspicious activity. **You can access your credit reports at the three major credit reporting bureaus once a year at no cost through [AnnualCreditReport](http://www.annualcreditreport.com). Even if you have credit freezes in place, you can still get your annual credit reports without lifting the freezes. 3. **Review your Social Security statement for suspicious activity. **You'll want to make sure your Social Security number isn't being used by someone else for employment purposes. To review your statement online, [establish an account at the Social Security Administration](https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/). If the numbers don't look right, contact the Social Security Administration's Fraud Hotline at (800) 269-0271. 4. **Initiate a fraud alert at the three major credit bureaus. **The same week I received the call from the scammer, someone tried to hack into my Gmail account from Jamaica. That was incentive enough for me to initiate a fraud alert through [TransUnion](https://www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resource/place-fraud-alert), which then contacted [Experian ](https://www.experian.com/fraud/center.html)and [Equifax ](https://www.equifax.com/personal/education/identity-theft/fraud-alert-security-freeze-credit-lock/)on my behalf. You don't have to be a victim of ID theft to request an alert...you may want to do it if you know your personal information was exposed in a data breach or if you lost your Social Security card. Bonus: it's free, you'll be entitled to a free credit report (in addition to the free one you get through [AnnualCreditReport](http://www.annualcreditreport.com)), and when you place an alert with one bureau, they'll inform the other two bureaus for you. What does a fraud alert do? It lasts a year and it makes it even harder for anyone to open up credit in your name...your identity must be more thoroughly vetted by a business before credit can be issued. While it means no more instant approval credit cards at retailers and more hoop-jumping when applying for loans, it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.  5. **Check your credit reports regularly. **At least once a month, I check my credit score through apps like Credit Karma and WalletHub, as well as take advantage of the free credit reports I get through two of my credit cards. I can spot anything that looks dicey−a late payment on a card I don't remember opening, a credit check I didn't authorize−and hop right on it before any further damage is done. 6. **Leave your Social Security card at home.** I spoke with a security expert a few years ago who said he's surprised by the number of people he meets who think they need to have that card in their wallet at all times. Rarely will any legitimate organization ask to see the card as a form of ID; instead, they'll want to see a driver's license, military ID, or passport. Memorize your number and leave the card at home locked in a safe, secure place. 7. **Change your passwords and PINs, especially on your financial accounts.** I became a password manager convert after we published [a blog post on how they can keep your web accounts more secure](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/password-manager). The password manager I use makes it a cinch to create random, hard-to-crack passwords. All I have to remember is a secret master password, one that's easy for me to remember but difficult for a fraudster to figure out. After my scary encounter with the phone scammer who knew the last four digits of my Social Security number, I spoke with Denise Bouchard, Hanscom FCU's information security officer, and told her what steps I'd taken to further protect my personal information. She reminded me how important it is to remain wary when someone calls and starts asking for confidential information, like a Social Security number, credit card number, or bank account numbers. "When you haven't been the one to initiate the conversation, it's never a good idea to give out any personal information," Bouchard said. "If the person who called you is asking for it, respectfully hang up and call them back on a number you saved on your device or have looked up yourself. Legitimate companies are used to this and won't get offended if you take precautions." [![Get a free Credit Score Review](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/118438/b13728df-1cb3-4aea-a79e-dfdfc42dfb2a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/118438/b13728df-1cb3-4aea-a79e-dfdfc42dfb2a)  *Others are reading:* - *[Scam Alert: Beware the Fake IRS Refund Check](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/tax-scam)* - *[Facebook Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/facebook-scams-how-to-spot-and-avoid-them)* - *[Scam Alert: Things the IRS Will Never Do](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/scam-alert-things-the-irs-will-never-do)* - *[Common Real Estate Scam Hits My Family](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/common-real-estate-scam-hits-my-family)* - *[5 Ways We Keep Your Online Access Secure](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/5-ways-secure-online-access)* ** [Security](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/security), [Credit Cards](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/credit-cards) [** 3 Easy Ways to Sell Your Stuff Online ](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/3-ways-to-sell-your-used-stuff-online) [** 3 Benefits of Having a Will ](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/benefits-of-having-a-will) ### About Author ![Hanscom Federal Credit Union](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/HFCU-Profile-1000x1000.jpg) Hanscom Federal Credit Union Hanscom Federal Credit Union, a purpose-driven $1.9 billion organization based in Littleton, MA, empowers its members to achieve financial wellness. Hanscom FCU serves over 95,000 members across the country and overseas through 16 branches, over 100,000 surcharge-free ATMs, 5,000 contact centers, and a web-based branch. 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The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. ## You are Leaving Hanscom Federal Credit Union #### **Please read the following before proceeding to:** ### https://www.linkedin.com/company/hanscomfcu/ The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. 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The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. ### Popular Posts [What You Need to Know About Putting Your Home in a Trust](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-putting-your-home-in-a-trust) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20-%202022-02-10T072804.753.jpg) [What You Need to Know About Your Federal Tax Bracket](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-tax-bracket) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-03-22T123305.900.jpg) [6 Boat Types to Get on the Water](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/6-boat-types-to-get-on-the-water) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/images/Jet_Ski.jpg) [23 Organizations Dedicated to the Needs of Seniors](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/23-organizations-dedicated-to-the-needs-of-seniors) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Senior%20citizens.jpg) [9 Smart Moves for Lottery Winners](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/lottery) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/images/lottery_winner.jpg) ### Recent Posts - [![National Credit Union Administration](https://go.hfcu.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NCUA-logo-small.png?width=95&name=NCUA-logo-small.png) ](https://www.ncua.gov/) [![Equal Housing Lender](https://go.hfcu.org/hs-fs/hubfs/EHL-logo-small.png?width=65&name=EHL-logo-small.png)](https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing) - @ 2023 [Hanscom Federal Credit Union](https://www.hfcu.org/) - Federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.hfcu.org/content/docs/Privacy_Notice.pdf) **Disclosure:** Hanscom Federal Credit Union does not provide and is not responsible for any products, services, or overall website content available at any third-party sites linked within this blog. Moreover, Hanscom Federal Credit Union's privacy policies do not apply to any of the linked websites within this blog. Please consult the privacy disclosures on those linked sites for further information. ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Hanscom Federal Credit Union" }, "dateModified" : "August 30, 2021, 3:41:38 AM", "datePublished" : "2019-04-05 11:16:00", "description" : "Your Social Security number has been compromised by ID theft. Here are the seven steps you need to take to protect your finances and personal information from further damage.", "headline" : "7 Steps to Take When ID Theft Happens With Your Social Security Number", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/118438/woman-looking-at-smartphone-in-shock_webopt.jpg" }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://go.hfcu.org/blog/7-steps-to-take-when-id-theft-happens-with-your-social-security-number", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/118438/Logo%202.jpg" }, "name" : "Hanscom Federal Credit Union" } } ```