Social Security Card Application Scams

Perhaps you've recently married and need to make a social security card name change. If you've given birth lately, you may be ready to complete a social security card for the baby. A divorce can trigger a desire to change names and social security card information. Major life changes such as these may make you a target for social security card application scams.

Social Security Card Name Change

Marriages and divorces are a matter of public record. These records can be purchased for mailing lists. Certain direct mail companies generate letters that are designed to look as if they are from a government agency, complete with envelope design similar to mailings sent from the Internal Revenue Service or Social Security Administration. These letters urge recipients to register their name change resulting from marriage or divorce with the Social Security Administration to receive a new card. In the letter, the company offers to perform this service for a fee, as high as $69.95 but typically in the $25-$40 range.

The letter asks for name, address, phone number, current SSN, and often a copy of the marriage license, divorce decree, and birth certificate. In most cases, if you use their service, you receive your new SS card within the time allotted (typically four to eight weeks). However, in some cases the companies do not complete the SS card fulfillment, and in the worst cases, use any legal documents you provided to commit identity theft.

To complete a free social security card name change, go to Social Security Name Change.

New Social Security Number for a Baby

The birth of a baby and that baby's birth certificate registration can also trigger one of these new social security number letters. As with a name change, the direct-mail company sends an official-looking letter to your home, explaining that you cannot take tax deductions or exemptions for your child without the child having a SSN. While it is true that you do need a SSN for tax purposes to include your child as an exemption, to deduct child care expenses, receive a child tax credit, or receive Earned Income Tax Credit for a child if you earn under an income threshold, it's not true that you need to spend money to apply for a new social security number for a baby.

As with the name change scam, the letter sent by these companies asks for a copy of the birth certificate to be included, along with a fee as high as $69.95. Sending a birth certificate places the baby's name and SSN at risk of identity theft.

To apply for a new social security card for a baby, go to New Social Security Card.

Technically, the companies sending out these offers for paid registration are not acting in violation of any law. They are offering a paid service, albeit for a free government process that anyone can do without a fee. If you receive one of these letters, ignore it and recycle the paper.