Safeguard Your Social Security Number

NEW YORK, NY (08/26/2010)(readMedia)-- To mark the 75th anniversary of the Social Security Program, the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) is reminding consumers of the importance of safeguarding their Social Security number, which can be used by scammers to commit identity theft and as a gateway to access other personally identifying information. Identity theft affects more than 10 million Americans each year.

"The Social Security Program has dramatically improved the lives of older Americans for 75 years, but the misuse of Social Security numbers has been linked to many cases of identity theft, " said Governor David A. Paterson. "Following the Consumer Protection Board's safety tips for Social Security numbers can help consumers reduce the risk that they will fall victim to identity theft."

"For millions of consumers, their Social Security number is key to financial protection," said Mindy A. Bockstein, the CPB's Chairperson and Executive Director. "But for identity thieves, unguarded Social Security numbers are keys to the vault of information to access credit, benefits and services that are not rightfully theirs. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Social Security this month, we are reminding consumers of all ages of the importance of safeguarding this valuable personally identifying information for short-term and long-term security."

"We are indeed fortunate to be at a point in time where we are at the 75th anniversary mark of the program that has brought income security to millions of New York families through the decades," said Michael J. Burgess, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging. "Today, as we face challenging economic times, and can look back in our nation's history to see how the leadership and wisdom of Franklin Roosevelt made for better lives for New Yorkers and all Americans, we must continue to insure the program remains strong for future generations to come and that beneficiaries are protected from any fraud and scams that may jeopardize the payments they deserve to receive."

Over the past several years, the CPB has received complaints and inquiries from consumers and businesses with respect to data security and identity theft prevention. Many of these dealt with how to safeguard Social Security numbers. This has led the CPB to issue scam alerts warning consumers about phishing and other incidents where con artists are looking to trick individuals into revealing their Social Security number.

Since the creation of the Social Security program, the use of Social Security numbers has expanded. The original purpose of this number was to track individuals' accounts within the Social Security program. It has since come to be commonly used as an identifier for employee, patient, student, credit and other records. This expanded use of the number has increased identity theft risks.

Thus, the CPB urges consumers to keep the following tips in mind to protect their Social Security number:

• Keep your Social Security card in a secure place, and never carry it with you unless there is a unique circumstance requiring the card.
  
• Provide your Social Security number only when necessary. When someone directly inquires about your number, ask:
  
  • Why is the number needed?
    
  • How will the number be used?
    
  • What are the consequences of declining to provide the number?
    
• Ask to use another type of identifying number whenever possible.
  
• Only transmit your Social Security via the Internet to reputable companies that use a secure server.
  
• Do not provide your Social Security number over the telephone unless you initiated the call, are certain with whom you are speaking, and the Social Security number is necessary to complete the transaction.
  
• Do not respond to unsolicited e-mails that ask for your Social Security number or direct you to a website where you are asked to input your Social Security number, even if they seem to be from a legitimate company with which you do business.

New York State continues to be a leader in Social Security number protection by enacting laws limiting the collection, display and/or transmission of these numbers by businesses, educational institutions and even government. For example, New York State law prohibits the printing of Social Security numbers on identification and membership cards, and on certain documents mailed to customers, and bars the e-mailing of unencrypted Social Security numbers. Further, schools cannot use Social Security numbers for posting or public listing of grades or class rosters. Consumers can access more information about Social Security number safety and identity theft protection by visiting the CPB's website at www.nysconsumer.gov.

This alert comes as the nation celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Social Security Program. To mark this occasion, which has special significance in New York because the program was created by President Franklin Roosevelt, a native New Yorker, Governor Paterson proclaimed August 2010 to be Social Security Diamond Anniversary Month in New York State.

The CPB, established in 1970 by the New York State Legislature, is marking its 40th anniversary as the State's top consumer watchdog and think tank. The CPB's core mission is to protect New Yorkers by publicizing unscrupulous and questionable business practices and product recalls; conducting investigations and hearings; enforcing the Do Not Call law; researching issues; developing legislation; creating consumer education programs and materials; responding to individual marketplace complaints by securing voluntary agreements; and, representing the interests of consumers before the Public Service Commission and other State and federal agencies.

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To file a consumer complaint with the NYS Consumer Protection Board (CPB), call our toll-free hotline at 1-800-697-1220 or visit the CPB's website at www.nysconsumer.gov. In addition to the online complaint form, the website is home to important consumer safety information and resource.