Identity Theft Question

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by rpm
Bad, BAD advice Rip.

You should keep your card in a secure place, but not destroy it. It can be a nightmare trying to replace a SS card. It takes 5-6 months to get them around here.

You also can not be hired for a job without one. An employer is required to fill out an INS form before employment and must see the card to do so.  A photocopy or verification letter is not proof of SS.

I deal with this every day. Kid comes in, applies for a job and we hire him. Come time to fill out the employee files, no SS card, he lost it. Sorry kid, no job. By the time he finally gets his new card from SSA the job is long gone.

Keep your SS card with your important family documents where you will not lose it.

Okay, I will agree that keeping it in a secure place is good, however, I just replaced mine (after not having it for 28 years) and it took 2 weeks to get a replacement on an SS-5 form. I could have gotten it faster had I gone in person to the local SS office with the proper ID (birth cert, drivers license and/or passport)

[crowMAW]

When you contact the credit bureaus they may ask you to send a letter/affidavit...including a copy of the police report might not be a bad idea.

[rpm]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Okay, I will agree that keeping it in a secure place is good, however, I just replaced mine (after not having it for 28 years) and it took 2 weeks to get a replacement on an SS-5 form. I could have gotten it faster had I gone in person to the local SS office with the proper ID (birth cert, drivers license and/or passport)

Wow, the Seattle office must work 10 times faster than the Denton, Texas office. It's a 5-6 month wait here and you have to go to the SSA office in person.

[lukster]

Originally posted by rpm
Wow, the Seattle office must work 10 times faster than the Denton, Texas office. It's a 5-6 month wait here and you have to go to the SSA office in person.

I needed a new one about 10 years ago and went to a SS office in Dallas. They gave me a temporary on the spot and I received one in the mail a few weeks later. No need to carry around your SS card. I think everyone should keep a fireproof lockbox or safe in their home for papers like this.

[LePaul]

Rip,

I keep my SSN card in a safe place.  At a job interview, I had my card on me for the I-9 form.  However when I got home, I left the card in my pants and, well, after being washed then dried...all I had was a nifty pile of lint.  I called the local SSN office about a new one, went in and 4 weeks later, a new one arrived.

If I'd needed it sooner, I would've been bumming

Step away from the shredder  

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by LePaul
Rip,

I keep my SSN card in a safe place.  At a job interview, I had my card on me for the I-9 form.  However when I got home, I left the card in my pants and, well, after being washed then dried...all I had was a nifty pile of lint.  I called the local SSN office about a new one, went in and 4 weeks later, a new one arrived.

If I'd needed it sooner, I would've been bumming

Step away from the shredder  

I suppose WA state just has more efficient Gov't employees working here.  Why they would take 2 weeks here and 4 weeks there is either the volume the office does, or employee work ethics.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by rpm
Wow, the Seattle office must work 10 times faster than the Denton, Texas office. It's a 5-6 month wait here and you have to go to the SSA office in person.

Its Texas employees, do I need say more?

[vorticon]

Originally posted by rpm
Wow, the Seattle office must work 10 times faster than the Denton, Texas office. It's a 5-6 month wait here and you have to go to the SSA office in person.

must be proximity to canada... i had a new one mailed to me in less than a week ...

[john9001]

have the govt put you in the witness protection program, they will give you all the papers and ID you need for your new identity.

well, they do it for felons.

[LePaul]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
I suppose WA state just has more efficient Gov't employees working here.  Why they would take 2 weeks here and 4 weeks there is either the volume the office does, or employee work ethics.

Heh.....well you know, they are union  

[-Concho-]

Contact your local PD and explain the situation and ask for a close patrol.

[Suave]

It's funny how americans think that a SS card is a form of ID. It's just a business card with type. I told somebody once "well I have my birth certificate and my passport, but if you really want a SS card from me I can photoshop one for you" I haven't had a ss card since I was a child, and yes many handsomehunk employers will bother you about it untill their supervisor's supervisor has to get involved.

There's no getting away from carrying your SS# with you. It's on your lisenses, credentials and passport.

[CavemanJ]

Did she have a checkbook in her bag?  If so, you'll probably want to call your bank first thing when they open after the holiday.  Unless they've got a 24hr line for reporting this.  Might not hurt to call the bank anyway, they can probably give you some good advice about the ID theft thing too.

[lukster]

Originally posted by Suave
It's funny how americans think that a SS card is a form of ID. It's just a business card with type. I told somebody once "well I have my birth certificate and my passport, but if you really want a SS card from me I can photoshop one for you" I haven't had a ss card since I was a child, and yes many handsomehunk employers will bother you about it untill their supervisor's supervisor has to get involved.

There's no getting away from carrying your SS# with you. It's on your lisenses, credentials and passport.

I don't carry a passport and Texas does not use SSN on drivers licenses.

[Chairboy]

I don't carry my social security number on my person, it's just irresponsible in this day and age.  I had to show my SS card once about 10 years ago, there's no reason to have it on your person where you can lose it to an identify thief.

It just makes their job so much easier and makes it harder for you to prove your innocense.