What Should I Do if My Social Security Card Has Been Stolen

In the event of a stolen Social Security card, people should be aware that one of the most important matters to attend to, as is explained on the website of the U.S. Social Security Administration, is to ensure that one remembers the Social Security Number (SSN) thus indicated, as is more important than the Social Security card itself.

In this respect, a Social Security replacement card may be sought after as a response to a stolen Social Security card, but SSA does not hold that this option is necessary in every case, though it believes it to fulfill a useful purpose in most cases. Moreover, it should be noted that the Social Security Administration, despite the authority which it holds for most matters and concerns arising from this system, including the issuance of Social Security replacement card documents to people, does not act in stolen Social Security card matters.

One of the main concerns which can stem from the incidence of a stolen Social Security card is that the information contained on it will be used by the thief to access personal information and financial records of the rightful Social Security cardholder.

For that reason, a stolen Social Security card should be reported and responded to preemptively, simply not to SSA central offices. Instead, the Federal Trade Commission will receive reports of abuses committed with the stolen Social Security card. Alternately, people can refer to the source of the Internet Crime Complaint Center. A Social Security replacement card may also be applied for at this point.