What do you have to do when your social security number is discovered by someone?

I am in a pretty bad situation. About a week ago, in class, I was returning the required materials that I received in the starting of the quarter. They signed a check-out slip that we got in the starting of the quarter confirming that we returned everything that we needed to return (and so we could keep it for our records). This slip had my full name, signature, and social security number on it. The problem is, I forgot to put it in my backpack when I left, and when I came back to see if it was still there, it was gone. I know the staff or teachers didn't take it because they would have informed me or the staff would have informed the teachers and they would have given it to me (I even talked to the teachers about it and they let me check my locker that I used to see if I accidently put it in there, but I didn't find it). The problem is that someone, or more than one person, most likely already saw it and could have just copied it down and thrown in away; getting the checkout slip back is totally irrelevant.

Regardless of whether it was taken by someone to use for malicious purposes or not, I have to assume that it was because my credit, amongst other things, could possibly be destroyed if I become passive about this. My question is, what should I do right now? I read about this online, and apparently the law can't help you if you only have an assumption that someone might be using it for malicious purposes or if you lost it in a situation where someone would have access to it (though you can contact certain companies that deal with this stuff).

Also, at this point (a week after it went missing), assuming that they or someone they gave it to has the knowledge of how to use it for malicious purposes, what are they capable of doing in the short term and in the long run (because I'm sure they will be able to do things to me for the rest of my life, since your social security number stays with you for the rest of your life). I already know that some people in the class have knowledge about things like hacking and identity theft (which makes me more nervous), although they wouldn't admit it to anyone they don't know. The quarter is already over, if that matters.

Have any of you been in this situation? How screwed am I?

I have read about who to contact about things like this, but at the moment (though this may sound strange), I would rather get some personal opinions before going straight to professionals.

I would greatly appreciate any help that any of you can give me.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Go right to the pros.

The SSN will tell you that they cannot give you a new number until someone has used it to for identity theft. I'm not sure what else they can do for you, but they may have some ideas. Also go to your school's administration and ask them to change that policy.

You don't need a SSN on those forms--just a printed name and signature.

How ya doing, buddy?

yeah, see if there's a way you can have the government track that number if possible to see if it was used, then you can take charge from there, I believe

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Nobody should EVER EVER be releasing forms with either a full credit card number or social security number for this very reason.

One thing you should do is talk with your parents and go to the school board and/or school administrator and have an immediate change to how this type of information is handled.

While you're only one person, imagine the possibilities of what could happen if somebody "accidently" screwed up...

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Under Federal law, you're entitled to one free credit check every year. You can contact the major credit agencies, and you'll be able to immediately see if anyone has opened new lines of credit or made major purchases with your information.

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Wow. You are telling me that they had your entire SIN number on a check out sheet? Hmmm... I agree, talk to the school about this problem.

How ya doing, buddy?

Moved to the Advice Column.

How ya doing, buddy?

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The question isn't what can you do when someone finds out but rather what can they do. The answer, not much.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I agree with Rab. So what if someone has your Social Security number? You'd be amazed how many people already have it. Anyone in your school office has access to it, your doctor's office has it, anywhere you've ever applied for a job, etc. It takes a lot more information than that to have your credit stolen.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Not to mention few people have interest in aquiring your number in the first place. In all likelihood the paper was picked up by a friend of yours, hoping to bump into you to return it.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I know SSN's for a whole lot of people, and with that I know addresses and for some birth dates, but that just goes with the job.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Quote:

Posted by RABicle
Not to mention few people have interest in aquiring your number in the first place.

Identity theft is a billion dollar industry, so I wouldn't be too certain about that. A little bit of research and some clever bullshitting, and I could get into your bank account with that SSN. The odds of someone randomly targetting you are fairly small, but when you do a big chunk of the work for them by leaving your SSN out in plain sight, you're just begging to be singled out.

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I never got my SSN card, and there was a high mail theft rate at the apartment complex that I used to live in so I can only assume someone took it. When I called to get a new number, they gave me the same deal. They can't do anything unless something is wrong. I think it sucks, but I would just keep an eye on your credit, and never give out your SSN unless you really really have to.

Chances are someone picked it up and tossed it. The chances of someone who purposely goes out to hunt down SSNs and then happen to stumble across yours is rare. Although people do get screwed, I would just keep this at the back of your mind and make sure you run a credit check every so often to make everything is okay. It sucks that you can't get a new number, I want one too and I've had credit cards stolen and used before (same apartment complex) so I was paranoid for awhile. There's no point in worrying all the time though.

I was speaking idiomatically.

My SSN is printed on my Active Duty ID. So, just about every bartender in San Diego has seen it, everybody in my direct chain of command has access to it and anyone serving in an "official capacity" (gateguards, SSO, etc.) can access it.

There're a number of things someone would have to accomplish before they could effectively use your SSN for identity theft purchases. Address and other personal information. They'd also have to have some other form of independent ID, with your name on it, to open lines of credit and such.

Also, I'd check with the three credit reporting agencies, you're entitled to one credit report per year from each of the three agencies: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. You can also obtain all three of the reports at once from www.freecreditreport.com, I believe.

Although, I recommend using them one at a time, because then you could check your report periodically throughout the year. It's going to take more than a week for anything to have been reported/changed.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Sorry if I'm sounding excessively paranoid, but there is one more thing I forgot to mention- it also has my home phone number on it (this might be significant because you can use certain websites to find information on someone, like their address, through their phone number). How much of an impact does the home phone number add?

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Depends on if they know what to do with it.

Chances are, it's probably been tossed in the garbage already. Secondly, there's really no telling if anything will happen until it does. Just check your credit report, like I said above.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?