What is Social Security Number Protection?

Resolving identity theft is stressful, time-consuming and expensive. Many people are turning to identity monitoring to better safeguard their most personal information.

SSN monitoring involves using a scanning system to alert users of suspicious activity. Some advanced Social Security protection services utilize the help of licensed private investigators who run advanced SSN Skip Trace searches to uncover hidden theft and fraud.

Why would someone want to steal your SSN?

Identity thieves want your Social Security number essentially so they can commit fraud and steal money. They do this by using your Social Security number in a variety of different ways. You’ll want to recognize identity theft techniques such as:

• Applying for jobs

• Opening financial accounts

• Draining your existing bank account

• Enrolling in health insurance

• Poaching your health insurance

• Getting medical treatment under your name

• Signing up for a credit card

• Applying for a passport

• Filing a fraudulent tax return to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

• Getting a driver’s license

• Stealing your unemployment or Social Security benefits

Social Security number monitoring is important, to say the least.

How do Social Security numbers get stolen?

Identity theft and fraud is a booming black market business. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as many as 9 million reports of ID theft happen each year—and with individuals’ online footprint expanding these numbers seem to be on the rise.

The most common ways SSNs are stolen:

Dumpster Diving

Thieves have been known to go through people’s trash to look for bills and other discarded papers with personal information on it.

Hacking

They can exploit weakness in a computer system either easily through unsecured Wi-Fi networks (think coffee shops) or more elaborate breaches into semi-secured websites.

Phishing

Thieves pretending to be financial institutions (your bank, PayPal, etc.) or popular regularly-used companies try to get you to reveal your personal information.

Pretexting

Getting personal information under false pretenses and then selling it to other people or the dark web is a favorite tactic of cyber thieves.

Stuffing

Creating false websites that look like commonly used websites in order to obtain login and other personal information is increasingly common.

Stealing

Thieves steal wallets, purses and personal records, or bribe employees who have access to mail—which includes bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, and tax information—in order to get as thorough a dossier on you as possible.

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