The Best Way to Prevent Fraud: A Guide to Freezing Your Social Security Number

Identity theft has evolved into a high-profile industry, and your Social Security number is the last key to fraudsters’ bones. While you’re distracted by the chaos of a winter storm or busy planning a Valentine’s trip, cybercriminals are trying to undermine your digital status. Your SSN is not just a random string of digits; it’s the gateway to your financial soul, used for everything from opening fake lines of credit to hacking your tax returns and medical records.

But you don’t have to just cross your fingers and hope for the best. There is a free, powerful defense you can use: block your SSN and freeze your credit.

An “SSN lock” (like E-Verify Self Lock) prevents someone from using your number to get a job, while a credit freeze prevents them from opening new credit cards or loans in your name. Yes, it adds an extra step when you need to apply for something, but that’s a minor hassle compared to the nightmare of cleaning up after an identity thief. You may also want to seek help from an identity protection service. If your information has been breached, stop waiting and lock it down.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a favorite Google source.

How to lock your Social Security number

There are two ways to block access to your Social Security number.

Call the Social Security Administration

You can contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 between 8am and 7pm local time, Monday through Friday. Wait times tend to be shorter in the morning and later on weekdays. Once you verify your identity, the SSA will wave its magic wand and block electronic access to your SSN.

Create an E-Verify account

You can also create a MyE-Verify online account to lock your SSN and use the service’s self-encryption feature. The lock will last for one year. But you will be notified 30 days before it expires and you can extend the lock if you choose.

This service comes in handy because many employers use E-Verify, a service administered by the SSA and US Citizenship and Immigration Services, to check your eligibility for employment.

If you lock your Social Security number, a company that wants to verify your SSN will not be able to verify your identity, preventing criminals from committing fraud. This option is also useful if you don’t want to pick up the phone every time you want to access your SSN.

Disadvantages of locking your SSN

The main effect of locking your SSN will sound familiar to anyone with established credit. When you block access to your SSN records, you also limit your access to them. This means that you will have to face the difficulty of opening it whenever you need a new employer to verify your eligibility to work in the US or you want to receive government benefits.

This back and forth may benefit people who have been victimized by identity theft and tax fraud. For additional protection against tax identity theft, you can create an ID protection PIN with the IRS to prevent someone else from filing a tax return with your SSN or individual taxpayer identification number.

What is the difference between locking your SSN and a credit freeze?

A credit freeze is different than a Social Security number key, although both are free. One blocks access to your Social Security record online while a credit freeze blocks access to your credit reports. To close the debt, you will need to contact all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) to stop anyone from running credit accounts on your behalf.

Will locking my SSN protect me from identity theft?

The answer here is not very satisfactory: It is possible. Locking your Social Security number can prevent identity theft or stop a criminal from collecting government benefits on your behalf. But it won’t prevent all types of ID theft. As an added warning, you should share your Social Security number only when necessary and never in an unsolicited phone call or text message.

It’s also a good idea to monitor your financial accounts and credit reports for any unusual activity. If you’d like a service to do this for you, you can sign up for a credit monitoring service or an ID theft protection service. You can always sign up for credit monitoring to keep an eye on your credit reports. ID theft protection often includes credit monitoring and dark web monitoring and alerts if your information is compromised through a data breach. If your identity is at risk, identity theft protection can help you get it back with white glove recovery services.

For added security, you can freeze your credit through Experian, TransUnion and Equifax to prevent identity thieves from opening new lines of credit, such as mortgages or car loans, in your name. I did this recently and found the process incredibly easy.

More tips for protecting your identity