My Parent Gave Their Social Security Number to a Scammer — Now What

Your parent just told you they "verified" their Social Security number on a phone call from someone claiming to be from the government. Maybe it was a Social Security scam call threatening arrest. Maybe it was someone offering a benefits increase. Maybe they also shared their date of birth, address, or bank account details.

Whatever the specifics, a scammer now has the single most valuable piece of identifying information an American can possess. A stolen Social Security number opens the door to credit fraud, tax fraud, medical identity theft, and government benefits theft — sometimes all at once.

The damage isn't instant, though. Most identity thieves wait weeks or months before using stolen information, which means you have a window to build defenses. Here's what to do, in order of priority.

Hour one: freeze credit at all three bureaus

This is the single most important step. A credit freeze prevents anyone from opening new credit accounts — loans, credit cards, store accounts — using your parent's Social Security number. It's free, it's immediate, and it can be temporarily lifted whenever your parent needs to apply for legitimate credit.

Contact all three bureaus directly. Unlike fraud alerts, credit freezes don't automatically propagate between bureaus, so you need to contact each one:

• Equifax: 1-800-349-9960 or equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742 or experian.com/freeze
• TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872 or transunion.com/credit-freeze

Each bureau will provide a PIN or password needed to lift the freeze later. Store these securely — ideally in writing in a locked location, not on a computer.

If your parent is unable to navigate the phone menus or websites, you can do this on their behalf if you have power of attorney. Without POA, you'll need to sit with them while they make the calls.

Hour one: also place a fraud alert

In addition to the freeze, place a fraud alert. While a freeze blocks new accounts from being opened, a fraud alert tells creditors to take extra verification steps before approving applications. It's a second layer of defense.

Call any one of the three bureaus — they're legally required to notify the other two:

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

A standard fraud alert lasts one year. An extended fraud alert, available to confirmed identity theft victims, lasts seven years. You may need a police report or an FTC Identity Theft Report to qualify for the extended version.

Day one: file an Identity Theft Report with the FTC

Go to IdentityTheft.gov. This is the FTC's dedicated identity theft portal and it's more specific than their general fraud reporting site.

The portal will walk you through creating a personal recovery plan based on the details of your situation. It generates an Identity Theft Report — an official document that carries legal weight. You'll need this report to:

• Dispute fraudulent accounts with creditors
• Request an extended fraud alert (7 years)
• Remove fraudulent debts from your parent's credit report
• Support a police report if law enforcement needs documentation

Save the report number. You'll reference it repeatedly in the coming months.

Day one: file a police report

Call your parent's local police department and file a report. Many departments now handle identity theft reports over the phone or online. Bring (or reference) the FTC Identity Theft Report number.

A police report creates an official law enforcement record. While local police rarely investigate individual identity theft cases, the report is often required by banks, creditors, and government agencies as proof that the crime occurred.

Day one: report to the Social Security Administration

Contact the SSA's Office of the Inspector General:

• Online: oig.ssa.gov
• Phone: 1-800-269-0271

Report that your parent's SSN was compromised and the circumstances of how it happened. The SSA OIG tracks patterns of Social Security-related fraud and uses reports to identify and dismantle scam operations.

Also create (or log into) a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Review:

• Earnings history — look for employment entries your parent doesn't recognize, which could indicate someone is using the SSN for work
• Benefits status — confirm benefits haven't been redirected to a different bank account
• Address on file — make sure it hasn't been changed

If your parent doesn't have an online SSA account, create one now. This also prevents a scammer from creating one in their name.

Week one: notify the IRS

Tax identity theft is one of the most common consequences of a stolen SSN. A criminal can file a fraudulent tax return in your parent's name, claiming a refund before your parent files their own return. When your parent later files legitimately, the IRS rejects it as a duplicate.

To prevent this:

1. File IRS Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit). You can submit it online at irs.gov or mail it with your parent's tax return.
2. Request an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) from the IRS at irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin. This is a six-digit number assigned specifically to your parent that must be included on all future tax returns. Without the PIN, a fraudulent return will be rejected.
3. File taxes early. If tax season is approaching, file your parent's return as soon as possible. The first return filed with a given SSN is processed; subsequent returns trigger a review. Filing early beats the scammer to the punch.

Week one: contact your parent's bank

Call the fraud department at every financial institution where your parent has an account. Inform them that the SSN has been compromised and ask about:

• Enhanced account monitoring — many banks can flag unusual transactions for manual review
• New account numbers — if the scammer also obtained bank account details, new accounts should be opened and funds transferred
• Account alerts — set up text or email alerts for all transactions, withdrawals, and changes to the account

If your parent uses direct deposit for Social Security, Medicare, pension, or any other regular payments, verify that the deposit routing hasn't been changed. Scammers who obtain both an SSN and bank information sometimes redirect deposits.

What to watch for in the coming months

Identity theft from a stolen SSN often unfolds gradually. Set calendar reminders to check for these red flags over the next 6-12 months:

Credit-related:

• Unfamiliar accounts on credit reports (check at AnnualCreditReport.com — free weekly reports are available)
• Pre-approved credit offers arriving by mail for accounts your parent didn't apply for
• Calls from debt collectors about debts your parent doesn't recognize

Tax-related:

• An IRS notice that a tax return was already filed (if your parent hasn't filed yet)
• An IRS notice of unreported income from an employer your parent never worked for
• A letter about benefits or payments your parent didn't request

Government benefits:

• Changes to Social Security deposit amounts or schedules
• Medicare charges for services not received (see our guide on what to do if a Medicare number is compromised)
• Mail from government agencies about applications your parent didn't submit

Medical:

• Explanation of Benefits statements for services not received
• Bills from healthcare providers your parent has never visited
• Changes to your parent's medical records that don't match their actual health history

A note about shame

If your parent is embarrassed about what happened, that's understandable — but shame is the enemy of recovery. Scammers who target seniors with fake government calls are professionals who manipulate hundreds of people a week. Your parent didn't fail an intelligence test; they encountered a criminal who has perfected the art of impersonating authority.

The most helpful thing you can say: "This is a crime that happened to you. It's not something you did wrong. And we're going to fix it together."

For a complete protection toolkit — including printable checklists for identity theft recovery, the Refrigerator Defense Sheet with rules for handling government calls, and scripts for talking to your parent about scam prevention — the Elder Scam Shield guide has everything in one place for $14.