Have you ever wondered what that blue and white card-like paper under your parents’ mattress or tucked away in a secure drawer was with your other private family documents? The blue and white card-like document your parent or guardian has protected since your birth, only sharing the numbers printed on the card with you for school registrations or trips to the doctor’s office is your Social Security card.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) assigns nine-digit Social Security numbers (SSNs) to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and eligible nonimmigrant workers in the United States. The U.S. government created Social Security numbers in 1936 to track individuals’ earnings and calculate Social Security benefits over his or her lifetime.
You need a Social Security number to get a job, collect government benefits and use it for identification. However, a corrupt person who has your Social Security number can steal your identity, apply for loans or credit cards in your name and more than likely wreak havoc on your financial lifestyle. Thieves can use these loans or credit cards and then not pay the bills, which can negatively impact your credit for months or even years.
Many people, like college students, underestimate the importance of having access to their Social Security card and also undervalue the importance of protecting the numbers so they remain private and safe. Your Social Security number is not only crucial for the workplace but also for various college-related documents, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), identification, record maintenance, work-study documents, and tax information.
Too many times, I have heard people caution against giving out their Social Security number, but what happens when the organizations responsible for safeguarding our information is hacked?
The notorious hacking group USDoD, also known as EquationCorp, has claimed that they successfully breached the databases of National Public Data, a company that offers background check services to businesses and investigators nationwide.
Although precise numbers are difficult to ascertain, a proposed class action lawsuit suggests that as many as 2.9 billion personal records may have been compromised. This incident is believed to have been caused by a third-party bad actor attempting to hack into the data in late December 2023. There is a possibility that certain data may have been leaked in April 2024 and the summer of 2024.
A person may not realize that someone has stolen his or her number until he or she is turned down for credit or he or she receive demands for payment from lenders for items never purchased. Illegally using your Social Security number can cause a lot of problems.
Why is a company like National Public Data (NPD), which is supposed to help in the job process by providing background checks for employers, investigators and other businesses that need to check a person’s background, including criminal records, vital records, SSN traces and more, easily hacked? This company has valuable information on United States citizens that is closely related to how they live their lives. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it could be harmful to society.
As incidents like this occur it forces people not to trust the government, banking and other financial institutions. Black Americans, over time, have developed a mistrust of organizations due to hacking, corruption and internal theft. This mistrust goes back to 1874, when Booker T. Washington noted the loss of Black citizens’ money due to the Freedmen Bank disaster, where Blacks lost or were swindled out of all their savings.
Originally, the Freedman’s Bank was established on March 3, 1865, to assist newly freed African Americans in managing their financial affairs. It left 61,144 depositors with losses of nearly $3 million. After years of waiting, depositors only recouped a share of what was owed to them. At this moment in history, Blacks lost faith in banks that claimed to protect their savings. Just like the Freedman Bank disaster, citizens are looking for support to recoup what they lost through this potentially disastrous situation.
So, what is the NPD doing to reassure its customers affected by this data breach? NPD has stated that it plans to cooperate with law enforcement and government investigators to gather important information regarding all affected by the breach.
But, what can you do to protect your SSN?
Here are five steps you can take to protect your Social Security number: (1) Check your credit report, (2) initiate a freeze on your credit, (3) be cautious of unsolicited text messages, emails and phone calls, (4) verify your passwords on banking and personal accounts by updating them for better security and (5) remain cautious and stay informed.
Remember, this number is crucial for living in the United States, and everyone must treat it as such.
Categories:
Protect your identity – Social Security number
Jessica Roberson, Assistant Viewpoints Editor
August 31, 2024
Jessica Roberson is the assistant Viewpoints editor and staff columnist for The Hornet Tribune. She is a sophomore forensic biology major from Montgomery, Alabama, who plans to become a forensic examiner.
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