If someone is using your Social Security number, match your next step to the evidence: report confirmed identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, contact the agency or business tied to the misuse, and check the records where it may appear. For work-related earnings, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA); for tax misuse, contact the IRS; for unfamiliar credit accounts, follow the FTC recovery plan and contact the company involved. If your number was only exposed or lost and you have no sign it was used, take protective steps without treating exposure alone as confirmed identity theft.
First, identify what happened
A lost or exposed Social Security number is a reason to be cautious, but it does not by itself prove that someone used it. Look for a specific sign of misuse, such as an unfamiliar account, earnings you did not receive, or a tax notice about a return you did not file. SSA says exposure alone does not require an identity-theft report to the FTC; you can still consider credit-protection steps. See SSA’s personal-information guidance.
SSA says it does not handle identity-theft issues and refers victims to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for general recovery help. The right agency for a specific problem depends on whether the misuse involves work records, taxes, or credit. SSA’s identity-theft FAQ, updated April 16, 2025, explains that distinction.
1. Report confirmed identity theft to the FTC
If you have evidence that someone used your information, start at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC’s process can provide a recovery plan tailored to the type of identity theft. Follow the steps that apply to your situation rather than assuming every case requires the same sequence.
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Use this general routing as a starting point:
- Unfamiliar credit account: follow the FTC recovery plan, contact the business that opened or services the account, and review your credit reports.
- Unfamiliar wages or employment: review your SSA earnings record and contact SSA to ask about correcting it.
- Tax return, refund, or other tax abuse: contact the IRS through its current official instructions.
2. Check your Social Security earnings record
Review your Social Security Statement for wages or self-employment income that you did not earn. Unfamiliar earnings may indicate that someone used your number for work. SSA lists checking your earnings record as a way to spot suspected work-related misuse. Read SSA’s guidance on suspected SSN misuse.
3. Ask SSA to correct earnings that are not yours
If your record includes earnings that do not belong to you, contact SSA about correcting them. Some people can submit a correction request online; others may need to visit a local Social Security office and provide supporting information. Eligibility and the process depend on your circumstances. Check SSA’s earnings-record correction instructions for the current route and evidence to bring.
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4. Contact the IRS about tax-related misuse
If you believe your SSN was used to file a tax return, claim a refund, or commit another form of tax abuse, contact the IRS and follow its current identity-theft instructions. SSA’s FAQ lists 1-800-908-4490 for identity-theft assistance, but contact channels can change; verify the number and any required forms on the IRS Identity Theft Central site before calling or sending information. Do not assume that a suspicious employment record is automatically a tax case: route each issue to the agency responsible for that record.
5. Review your credit reports and consider a fraud alert or freeze
Look for accounts, inquiries, or other activity you do not recognize. SSA recommends reviewing credit reports and considering either a fraud alert, a credit freeze, or both. These are protections handled through credit-reporting agencies, not products you need to buy. Details and enrollment procedures can change, so use the bureaus’ current official instructions. SSA’s personal-information guidance also describes these options.
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A fraud alert asks creditors to take additional steps to verify your identity before opening credit in your name. A credit freeze restricts access to your credit file for most new-credit applications; you may need to lift it when applying for credit yourself. Consider which option fits your circumstances and follow the current bureau procedures.
6. Contact the company or bureau tied to an unfamiliar account
If you find an account you did not open, contact the company that issued or authorized it and report the suspected fraud. Use the FTC recovery plan for case-specific steps, and contact the relevant credit-reporting agencies if the account appears on your reports. Keep a record of dates, case or reference numbers, names of representatives, and copies of letters or notices. SSA’s older identity-theft publication also directs victims to the institution and credit reporting agencies; follow current FTC and company instructions for your particular case.
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7. Consider a police report and secure your SSA account
Police report
SSA lists filing a report with local police or the community where the theft took place as an option. It is not an automatic requirement for every case. Ask the company or agency handling your case whether it needs a report, and follow the FTC recovery plan for your circumstances. SSA’s FAQ includes this option among its suggested actions.
Protect your SSA account
Create or secure your personal my Social Security account so you can check your information directly. SSA’s Office of the Inspector General warns people not to respond to unexpected contacts asking for an SSN or bank details; instead, verify information through official SSA channels. See its August 31, 2026 scam alert.
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SSA also describes optional blocks on online services and on direct-deposit or address changes for beneficiaries. Those blocks can limit your own ability to make changes, so check SSA’s current enrollment and removal instructions before enabling one. They are account-protection choices, not a substitute for reporting confirmed identity theft to the appropriate agency.
Quick Recap
Choose the route that fits the evidence
| What you found | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Confirmed identity theft, with no single agency issue identified yet | FTC recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov. |
| Earnings you did not receive on your Social Security record | Contact SSA about reviewing and correcting the record. |
| Suspected fraudulent tax return, refund, or tax abuse | IRS Identity Theft Central and its current instructions. |
| Credit account or inquiry you do not recognize | FTC recovery plan, the company tied to the account, and credit-report review. |
| Number lost, stolen, or exposed, but no evidence it was used | Consider protective credit steps and monitor relevant records; exposure alone is not the same as confirmed identity theft. |
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