Verifying Social Security numbers (SSNs) Without Requiring a Physical Card
Improve your organization's performance and help us out! We need your help to make sure your employees/representatives use verification services instead of requiring physical Social Security cards (which leads to more replacement SSN card requests and bogs down the system).
For Private Employers
Employers often ask to see an employee's Social Security card. The Internal Revenue Service's Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, states, “You should ask your employee to show you his or her social security card. The employee may show the card if it is available.” But do you really need to see the card? While not required, we provide a service for employers to verify a name and SSN for wage reporting purposes when you want to verify an employee's correct name and SSN.
Typical reason Private Employers ask to see Social Security Card
Often private employers ask for a physical card to verify current or former employee's SSN for the purpose of completing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement).
The preferred way for Private Employers to verify
The Social Security Number Verification Service, or SSNVS, is a free service employers can use to verify an employee's name and SSN quickly, using an online verification system. This avoids the wait time for a person to request and receive their SSN card.
How to make your whole organization more efficient
Review and update your communications and processes so that you are not asking to see an SSN card when it isn't necessary. Instead - recommend online verification, use other acceptable documents and/or E-Verify, if necessary, for I-9 hiring or verifying work authorization status.
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For Government Agencies
We need your help to make sure your employees and representatives use our verification services instead of sending customers to us for a replacement SSN card.
Typical reason Government Agencies ask to see Social Security Card
Verify citizen and constituent SSNs as part of delivering government benefits and services.
The preferred way for Government Agencies to verify
Instead of asking for a card, use the Consent Based SSN Verification Service, or CBSV. It's a fee and consent-based SSN verification service available to Federal, State, and Local government agencies. It provides instant, automated verification and it easily handles large volume requests.
How to make your whole organization more efficient
Review and update your communications and processes so you prioritize online verification, use other acceptable documents and/or E-Verify if necessary.
Also, consider having your agency set up its own data exchange directly with us!
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For Financial Institutions
It is more important than ever to protect our customer's information. If you need to verify someone's name and SSN, please use one of our verification services.
Typical reason Financial Institutions ask to see Social Security Card
To prevent fraud, organizations that provide banking and mortgage services often need to verify if someone's name and SSN match official records.
The preferred way for Financial Institutions to verify
Instead of asking to see the physical card, use the Consent Based SSN Verification Service, or CBSV.
For a fee, and with the consent of the SSN holder, SSA's CBSV can verify if the SSN holder's name, date of birth, and SSN match SSA's records.
How to make your whole organization more efficient
Review and update your communications and processes so that you are not asking to see an SSN card by default.
Instead - recommend online verification, use other acceptable documents, and/or E-Verify if necessary.
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For Other Types of Organizations
Advise your clients that knowing their SSN is most important and that a physical card may not be necessary. If your client is being asked to show an SSN card, encourage them to visit www.ssa.gov to start or complete the process online.