What Happens If You Lose Your Social Security Card?

Having your social security card stolen, misused, or lost can be a nerve-wracking experience. Did it get stolen? Is someone using your information to steal your identity? What steps will you take to replace it?

Here’s what you need to do if your social security card is stolen. In addition to helping you replace your card, this guide will teach you how to protect yourself from digital threats and how to understand the dangers associated with having your social security number out there.

What Happens If You Lose Your Social Security Card?

If your Social Security card is lost or stolen, you can replace it for free. Keep in mind that you can only get three replacement cards in a year, and up to 10 during your lifetime. Avoid service providers who want to charge you a fee for your replacement card.

Changes in your legal name and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. It is possible that changes in immigration status will not count toward these limits. Furthermore, these limits don’t apply to you if you prove the card is necessary to prevent significant hardship.

Online Social Security Card Request

If you reside in a state other than seven, you can request a new Social Security card online if you have an account with My Social Security.

• Alabama
• Minnesota
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• West Virginia

Please proceed to the next section (about requesting a new Social Security card offline).

It is not possible to request a new Social Security card online if you have a license issued by a U.S. territory like American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

You must meet a few more requirements to request a new SS card online if you live in an eligible state:

• You must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen.
• APO, FPO, and DPO addresses are included in your U.S. mailing address.
• There are no changes you want to make to the card, just a new one.
• In Alaska, Delaware, and Washington, you need a driver’s license if you live in one of the 50 states or Washington, D.C.

Within 10 to 14 days of requesting a new card, you should receive a replacement.

Offline Request for a New Social Security Card

To request a new Social Security card, however, you do not need to use the internet. You can also:

• Please call 1-800-772-1213.
• You can visit your local Social Security office.

On a weekday between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., call 1-800-325-0778 if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

Also check: Can You Change Your Social Security Number?

Here are some other steps you can take

After losing your Social Security card, you should take a few other precautions to protect your identity:

• Make sure your credit is good. Be sure to check your credit reports from all three credit bureaus. If there is anything unusual on your credit report, be sure to contact either the lender or creditor whose contact information is listed below.
• Get identity theft protection. It’s not just the preventative measures that make identity theft protection services so popular, but also the insurance cover if you lose your identity. After losing your SS card, your identity becomes more vulnerable to identity theft.
• Your credit will be frozen. In the event of a credit freeze, identity thieves will be unable to open new accounts or take out new loans with your Social Security Number or other personally identifiable information (PII). The thief won’t be able to access your credit report, so banks and lenders are less likely to provide credit or loans. You can keep the credit freeze on as long as your SSN is at risk, or until you need credit or a loan yourself. You can request a credit freeze by contacting the three major credit bureaus listed below.

If you are concerned about identity theft, follow these steps:

• Report the crime to the police. Contact your local police station if you lose your Social Security card.
• Alert the authorities to fraud. Identity thieves are less likely to open accounts using your personal information if you set up fraud alerts. Use the information above to contact one of the three major credit bureaus and ask them to place a fraud alert on your credit report to report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission. The other two bureaus will be notified of the fraud alert, and it will stay on your record for a year.
• Fraud alerts should be extended. You can extend your fraud alert for a period of seven years after your first fraud alert expires. To do so, you’ll need to contact each bureau separately, submitting your Identity Theft Report.
• Contact the IRS. In the event the IRS suspects that someone is using your social security number fraudulently, you can call the number listed on the notice. The IRS can be reached at 1-800-908-4490 or by completing Form 14039, the Identity Theft Affidavit, if you did not receive a notice.

How to Request a Social Security Card for Your Child

We found that 14 percent of children have had their identities stolen, which is a concern for more than 70 percent of U.S. parents. Children are prone to losing things and, unfortunately, to identity theft. When your child loses or steals his or her Social Security card, you’ll need to provide the following documents:

• Identity of your child
• The citizenship of your child, or his or her immigration status if he or she is not a citizen of the United States
• The identity of you
• Relationship with the child or custody of the child

The issuing agency must either certify all of these documents as originals or as certified copies. After gathering all the necessary documents, complete the SS card application and mail it to the SSA office or card center along with the documents. You’ll receive your child’s new Social Security card within 10 business days of receiving the receipt.

Moving Forward, How To Protect Your Social Security Card

To protect yourself against identity theft, particularly regarding your Social Security number and SS card, you should follow these best practices:

• Sign up for My Social Security. To prevent others from doing the same if they have your Social Security number, you need to create a My Social Security account. The account can be strengthened by using a strong username and password, your cell phone number, email, and a financial question as verification methods. To add extra security, you will either use the last eight digits of your credit card (Discover, Mastercard, or Visa), or information from your 1040 Schedule SE tax form.
  1. Visit My Social Security.
  2. Select Security Settings from the menu.
  3. Add extra security by clicking Add Extra Security.
  4. Make sure you follow the instructions.
• It will take five to ten business days for an upgrade code to arrive at your home address.
• You shouldn’t carry your card around with you. Store your Social Security card in a secure place at home, such as a locked safe or safe deposit box, rather than keeping it with you always.
• Share your SSN only when necessary. Even if the organization requesting your SSN is your employer, never share it unless it’s absolutely necessary.
• Electronic access should be blocked. SS records can be blocked both electronically and by telephone, so that no one can access your personal information online or by telephone, including you. If you wish to block electronic access, you may visit your local SSA office or call 1-800-772-1213 (available 24/7) and request Form SSA-1099.
• Protect yourself from identity theft. If you have children, consider identity theft protection for families to qualify for discounts and deals. These services monitor your SSN along with all your PII and monitor criminals in your financial world.