What Can Someone Do With The Last 4 Digits Of Your SSN?

If you’ve given out the last four digits of your Social Security Number, you might worry about how someone might exploit it and want to know how to prevent someone from using it.

Your Social Security Number is a unique identifier, which can be used to track the earnings of employees, the amount of taxes paid, and the amount of benefits received.

However, in the wrong hands, the last 4 digits of your SSN could open doors to identity and financial scams. Here are 8 things someone can do with the last 4 digits of your SSN.

Retrieve The Rest Of Your SSN

Even with just the last four digits, scammers can use complex computer algorithms to guess the rest of your SSN. This will open up doors to a whole list of nasty frauds.

1

Identity Theft

Identity theft puts your finances, credit and even employment at risk. What’s alarming is that a scammer only needs the last 4 digits of SSN and date of birth to start misusing it.

2

Destroy Credit Card Reputation

When someone has your SSN, they can apply for loans and max out your credit cards which will severely impact your credit score and you’ll be left with a huge sum of debt.

3

Prevents You From Claiming Grants

Scammers can use your SSN privileges which means you won't be able to get grants that holders of a social security card would normally get because they’ve already been claimed.

4

Scammers can use your SSN to file an income tax return using your name & steal the tax refund from you. This leaves you with the hassle of sorting and proving your claim with IRS.

5

Tax Fraud

Swindlers can use your SSN to benefit from medical services that you are entitled to. They’ll pose as you and claim the medical benefits in your name.

6

Medical Fraud

Scammers can use your SSN and pose as you using your identity when they get into trouble with the law.

7

Criminal Fraud

For example, if a scammer gets a speeding ticket from a traffic enforcer, to avoid getting caught, the scammer will use your identity. In the end, you’ll get in trouble with the law.

7

Criminal Fraud

If someone has the last 4 digits of your SSN, you can find the steps you need take to report and secure your SSN in the link below.

Protecting Yourself

What To Do If You Gave Out Your SSN