stmCan your Social Security Number be suspended? You asked. Well, here’s an answer to that question and what to do if you get a call saying your Social Security Number has been suspended.
The importance of Social Security cannot be overemphasized. It can as well be considered a matter of life and death, since it is a topic of means of livelihood and survival in helpless situations.
The foundation of Economic Security for the American population is Social Security. About 61 million Americans collect Social Security benefits, while around 169 million people pay Social Security taxes.
Social Security, simply put is any kind of legislatively established social protection which provides a degree of income security for individuals and protect such from harsh effects of disability, old age, survivorship, children rearing, incapacity, and unemployment and so on. It includes provident funds, mutual benefit programs, social insurance programs, and social assistance programs.
Social security programs developed widely around the globe in the 20th century. Study shows that 50% of the world population have access to social security, but only 20% enjoy its adequate coverage. (Quite low and needs to be worked on urgently to raise the figure if you ask me.)
About Social Security Number
Social Security number is a 9 digit number that is issued to US citizens and eligible residents of the US that applied for one by the US government.
Your connection with Social Security is your nine digit social security number. It is the key to identifying and recording your self-employment earnings and covered wages. A social security number is important as it is needed to enjoy government services, access needed social security benefit or get a job.
The primary intention for the inception of Social Security number is to determine individual benefits and track earnings. It’s the reason why the Social Security Number system was created in 1935.
It aims to provide disability and retirement benefits. But now, the purpose for SSN has gone beyond that. It is now utilized for credit report tracking and tax purposes.
Every US citizen, working or temporary residents, have a SSN. Citizens or non-citizens who are not working residents can also obtain to Social Security Number because of its usefulness in government and business entities.
Social Security numbers are issued by the Social Security Administration. If you are an eligible US resident who would like to get a Social Security Number, you need to fill the form SS-5 with the Social Security Administration.
Social Security Number History
The Social Security Administration commenced issuance of SSN in November 1935. 25 million numbers were issued within the first three months. John David Sweening was the first person to get the first Social Security Number in history, announced by SSA’s Joseph L. Day on the 1st of December 1936.
Since those under 14 years of age hardly have substantial income and the Social Security Number is meant for the purpose income tracking, those in that age range could not obtain SSN until Reform act of 1986.
The 1986 reform act mandates parent SSN for dependents that are over 5 years of age for whom parents would want to claim a tax deduction.
The age threshold was lowered to 2 years old in 1988 and 1 year old in 1990. Today, Social Security Numbers are obtained for children soon after birth, even on a birth certificate application.
Social Security Number Classes
There are 4 different classifications of Social Security Cards. They are;
- Cards issued to those born within the territorial boundaries of any of the member states of the US
- Individuals that become US permanent resident
- Individual with certain restrictions. (such as “not valid for employment” or “valid for work only with DHS authorization” or “valid for work only with IHS authorization”
- Those who become United States citizens by birth or oath within territorial or exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the State’s government.
Can Your Social Security Number Be Suspended?
Now to the main thing in this piece. Can your Social Security Number be suspended?
There have been cases mentioned of people claiming to get phone calls telling or threatening them that their Social Security Number is or is going to be suspended. The reasons being given for this is that it is involved in criminal activity or there is suspicion of something illegal going on with it.
The Federal Trade Commission actually confirmed receiving reports related to this from about 3,200 individuals in 2017. This has left many worried and confused. But isn’t that why you are reading this piece? To be clarified on the matter and be at peace.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), Social Security Numbers do not get suspended. It’s just never done. There is no way such a panic triggering call could have originated from the SSA.
Now that you know your SSN can never get suspended, where the hell are the calls coming from then? We are about to answer that too.
What If I Get A Call That My SSN Has Been Suspended?
The call is definitely not coming from the Social Security Administration, and this is the agency in charge of SSN matters. Therefore, the call must have been coming from somewhere illegal. Perhaps a scammer, a fraudster, an impostor too maybe.
Even if the caller number shows the real SSA phone digits (1-800-772-1213), it is still a scammer faking things, putting the number in the caller ID.
SSA will never instruct you to put money on gift cards or wire money, they will never issue threats about your accounts been seized or your benefits under threat. It’s a scammer behind the scheming.
What to do if you get such a disturbing call? End the call and go on with life. But if you are still worried about the conversation you just had with the caller, pick the phone and call the real SSA on the number 1-800-772-1213.
You may have to wait a while, but isn’t it worth it to clear your doubts and confusion? Explain what happened with the out of the blue call to them and get your doubts cleared.
In Summary
Trust this piece answered all your questions concerning the SSN related suspicious “out of the blue call” you got? How about sharing it so others can learn and also take precautions in case they end up in similar situation at any point in time? You may just be saving someone from be defrauded by that single share!
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