1. Never carry your Social Security card on your person, it should be stored in the same place as your birth certificates, insurance policies, and other important document. A bank safe-deposit box or personal safe is ideal.
2. Make sure that anyone who makes a request for your Social Security number are legitimate. Remember that you are within your rights to refuse to surrender your SS card to anyone. You will need to simply ask why it is needed and tell them about your concerns. Most above board business people will usually honor your reluctance to give out this type of personal information.
3. Do not give out your Social Security number over the phone or internet if you have been solicited for the information. Be sure you are confident that the person on the other line, or the website you are visiting are not intending to use your personal information for criminal purposes.
4. If you reside in a state that uses your Social Security number as an identification number you have the right to ask them to issue you an alternate identification number that is different from your Social Security number.
5. This will apply to most all other forms of indentification that uses your Social Secutity number for identification purposes, including library cards, insurance cards, and employee ID badges. All you have to do is request that they give you another number, and if this cannot be done be sure you ask that your SS number is not visible on the card or ID badge.
6. If your Social Security card or number has been stolen you will need to contact the FTC, this may be the beginning to bank and credit accounts that are not yours. It will also be the start of a credit-report nightmare that can last anywhere from a few months to several years.
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