VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Whether it is domestic violence that requires this, or you are a victim of identity theft, it may be best to change your social security number. Social Security (SSA) will address this for you. After providing a statement explaining why you need a new number, you must provide credible, third-party documentation of your reason, including medical, legal, or police documents regarding identity theft, abuse, or harassment.

There are several other reasons that the SSA will issue a new number. For example, it may approve a change if similar numbers within a family unit cause confusion or if two identical numbers have been issued in error. If you have a religious objection to a certain number or sequence of numbers in your current SSN, you may also qualify for a change.

To change your SSN for any reason, you must apply at a local Social Security office. 

IDENTITY THEFT IS NOW ELDER ABUSE

Earlier this week, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation (S.1560/A.1994) 

into law to protect seniors from fraudulent use of personal information 

by authorizing support services on identity theft through non-profit agencies and 

law enforcement. The legislation allows the Office of the Aging and law enforcement 

to recognize identity theft as one of the many forms of elder abuse and take 

appropriate action to help seniors.  

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The bill adds a definition of "elder abuse and exploitation" to subdivi-
sion 1 of section 209 of the elder law and incorporates identity theft
in the list of eligible support services through the naturally occurring

retirement communities (NORCS) programs.

The bill amends section 214-c of the executive law to provide that iden-
tity theft shall be one of the many forms of elder abuse that the Office
of the Aging and the state police address in their educational materials
for police officers' use when encountering such abuse.

The bill amends subdivision e of section 21-201of the administrative
code of the city of New York to add identity theft to the definition of
elder abuse.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The unlawful use of an individual's personal identification information
such as social security number, driver's license information, or bank
and credit card account can result in terrible consequences lasting
years. In its worst form it can leave the older victim bankrupt and
without assets in their retirement. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
estimates that as many as 9 million American adults have their identi-
ties stolen each year. The crime takes many forms and may go undetected
for long periods; it often is not discovered until a review of a credit
card statement or receipt of notice for charges not made-or worse, until
the person is contacted by a debt collector. (Source: Federal Trade
Commission, NYS Attorney General's Office).

While older adults are not the exclusive targets of identity theft, they
can be especially susceptible to victimization as they often need to
share their personal information with caregivers, medical providers'
offices, government agencies, and over the internet. The impact of iden-
tity theft can be devastating for older adult victims who are unable to
restore stolen funds through employment. A recent study by the Office of
Children and Family Services found that the cost of financial exploita-
tion of adults in New York is over $1 billion dollars yet state law does
not currently include identity theft in the definition of "elder abuse".
With this legislation our aging support services groups and our law
enforcement teams will be able to use available resources to help
seniors, the fastest growing sector of our population, from identity
theft in its many forms.

ONE WAY TO PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT

Put a fraud alert on your credit reports through Experian. As they state:

"Add a fraud alert message to your credit report if you suspect that your identification information has been or could be used fraudulently. A fraud alert notifies potential credit grantors to verify your identity before extending credit in your name in case someone is using your information without your consent."

It would be suggested to report your cell phone number on the online form if you ever plan on applying for credit at a store or other location on site. This way, the credit company can call and reach you while you are applying for credit.

The fraud alert is good for 90 days so mark your calendars to do this every 90 days. Experian will also report the alert to the other credit reporting companies and immediately send you a copy of your credit report.

See  https://www.experian.com/fraud/center.html