If someone used your Social Security number (SSN) to apply for or receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, take three separate actions: contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) about your own account and record, report suspected program fraud to the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Start each contact yourself through an official channel. Do not rely on a caller who says they can check a fraudulent application for you.
Someone used my Social Security number to claim benefits—what do I do first?
Begin with SSA, because only SSA can review information on your personal Social Security record and discuss an apparent claim or payment connected with your identity. Sign in to your personal my Social Security account to check your information, or call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213.
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Tell SSA exactly what you discovered—for example, a notice about an application you did not file, a payment you do not recognize, or an earnings entry that is not yours. Ask the representative to review the record and any apparent claim or payment activity associated with your identity. Keep the date, time, office or representative name, confirmation numbers, and copies of notices.
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Which organization handles each part of the problem?
These reports serve different purposes. Filing one does not replace the others.
| Organization | What it handles | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security Administration (SSA) | Your personal account, earnings record, notices, and questions about an apparent claim or payment | Check my Social Security and call 1-800-772-1213 through a contact you initiated |
| SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) | Allegations of fraud involving Social Security or SSI programs | Submit the online Report Fraud form or call 1-800-269-0271, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays |
| Federal Trade Commission (FTC) | Identity-theft reporting and a recovery plan | File at www.identitytheft.gov; the phone number listed in SSA’s identity-theft FAQ is 1-877-438-4338 |
SSA’s OIG explains the boundary plainly: “Social Security does not handle identity theft issues.” OIG receives allegations that an SSA program was defrauded, while the FTC provides the identity-theft reporting and recovery process.
How to report suspected Social Security or SSI fraud
Submit the allegation to SSA OIG
After contacting SSA about your own account, report the suspected benefits-program fraud to SSA OIG. Include the facts you know without guessing:
- Your name and reliable contact information.
- The type of benefit involved, such as Social Security or SSI, if known.
- The date and wording of any notice, email, letter, or call.
- Any claim number, payment date, address, employer information, or other detail shown in the record.
- Why you believe the activity was not yours and what you already reported to SSA.
OIG’s hotline is 1-800-269-0271 and is listed for weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time, except federal holidays. You can also use OIG’s online report form. An OIG submission is an allegation for investigation; it is not a substitute for asking SSA to review and protect your individual record.
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Preserve evidence before it disappears
Save paper notices and export or print relevant account screens. Record suspicious phone numbers, caller names, dates, and the exact instructions you were given. Do not alter original documents. If a message contains a link or callback number, preserve it as evidence but do not use it to make your report.
How to report the identity theft to the FTC
Use the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov service to describe that your SSN was used in a suspected Social Security or SSI benefits claim. The site creates a report and recovery plan tailored to the information you enter. Follow each step it gives you, and save the completed report and action list for your records.
SSA’s published identity-theft guidance directs victims to the FTC for this part of the response. The FTC report is separate from an OIG fraud allegation: the FTC addresses misuse of your identity, while OIG investigates suspected fraud against an SSA program.
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Check your Social Security record for other misuse
Review your earnings history
Sign in to my Social Security and review the earnings record used to calculate future benefits. Look for wages or self-employment income that you did not earn, employers you never worked for, or years that do not match your records. An incorrect earnings entry can affect benefit eligibility and estimates even when it is unrelated to the suspected claim.
Request a correction when earnings are wrong
SSA says some people can request an earnings correction online. If the online option is not available for your situation, contact SSA or visit an office and provide information supporting the correction, such as wage statements, tax documents, or employer records. SSA may require you to verify your identity in person and supply additional information.
Correcting an earnings record is a separate administrative issue. It does not, by itself, resolve an unauthorized application or payment, so pursue the claim review and the fraud and identity-theft reports separately.
Check related accounts if the evidence points beyond SSA
SSA’s SSN-use guidance also points people toward other checks when appropriate. Review your annual free credit reports for accounts or inquiries you do not recognize. If the misuse involved taxes or an unfamiliar tax filing, contact the Internal Revenue Service through a channel you locate independently. You may also choose to make a local police report when it would document the theft or is requested by a creditor or another agency; the official guidance does not make a police report a universal requirement.
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How to avoid a fake “fraud check” call
A caller may claim that your SSN was used and offer to verify the application, remove a hold, or protect your payments. Treat that contact as unverified. Do not provide your SSN, date of birth, bank details, account password, one-time code, or money to an unexpected caller or texter.
SSA says it generally calls when you recently applied for a benefit, are already receiving payments and need an update, or specifically asked for a call. Those circumstances do not make every incoming call genuine. If a call is questionable:
- Hang up without confirming personal or financial information.
- Open your browser or phone contacts separately and go to your own my Social Security account or call 1-800-772-1213.
- Tell SSA that you received a suspicious contact and ask whether your record shows an application, payment, or requested callback.
- Report the suspicious contact to SSA OIG.
Do not click a link in an unexpected message to create or “secure” an account. If you need a new account, SSA says current accounts use either ID.me or Login.gov. Use the sign-in route you reach from SSA’s official site, not a link supplied by a caller.
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What to bring and what to ask SSA
Organizing the facts makes it easier for SSA to locate the correct record. Have these items ready:
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- A government-issued identification document and the identifying information SSA uses to verify you.
- Every notice, letter, email, or text related to the suspected claim.
- Your timeline of when you learned about the activity and whom you contacted.
- Evidence of your correct address, work history, or earnings if the record is wrong.
- Any bank or payment information shown on a notice that is not yours—redacted when you retain a copy.
Ask SSA to explain what activity appears on your record, whether a claim or payment is associated with your identity, what documentation it needs, and how you can check for updates. Request a reference or confirmation number whenever one is available. Do not assume that silence means the claim was canceled; follow the instructions SSA gives you and keep your own log.
What happens after you report?
SSA handles the individual account review, OIG receives and evaluates the program-fraud allegation, and the FTC supplies identity-theft recovery steps. Their processes can overlap, but they are not one case file. Provide consistent facts to each organization and note which documents you sent.
The official pages reviewed for this guide do not establish a universal reversal workflow, mandatory resolution time, or guaranteed outcome for a fraudulent benefits application. Avoid anyone who promises immediate removal of a claim or demands payment to “recover” benefits. If SSA asks for additional identity verification or an office visit, follow that instruction through an independently verified contact.
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- Check your my Social Security account and review notices, claims, payments, and earnings.
- Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 using a number you obtained independently; ask for a review of the apparent activity.
- Document every contact, notice, reference number, and submission.
- Report suspected Social Security or SSI program fraud to SSA OIG online or at 1-800-269-0271 during its listed weekday hours.
- File an identity-theft report at www.identitytheft.gov and complete its recovery plan; use 1-877-438-4338 if you need the FTC’s listed phone option.
- Request correction of any earnings that are not yours, using the online route if available or an SSA office when required.
- Ignore unexpected callers, texts, and emails that ask for money, banking details, passwords, or verification codes.
The key distinction is procedural: SSA is the place to address your account and record, OIG is where suspected SSA-program fraud is reported, and the FTC is where identity theft is reported and a recovery plan begins. Complete all three steps that apply rather than treating one report as a replacement for the others.
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