Should I Create an E-Verify.gov Account To Lock My Social Security Number? – Technologist

Freeze your credit. Freeze your credit. Freeze your credit.

With a new data breach emerging seemingly every month, money expert Clark Howard has talked about the importance of freezing your credit for years. It’s the quickest and most effective way to prevent an internet crook from using your identity to steal your credit and harm your finances.

Recently up to 3 billion people had their data compromised — including Social Security numbers — in the National Public Data (NPD) breach. It is believed to be the second-largest breach in history. With access to your Social Security number, it’s possible for someone to “borrow” your Social Security number to obtain work.

Now there’s a second step you should take according to Clark’s advice: Lock your Social Security number with E-Verify.gov.

Do I Need To Lock My Social Security Number? And How Do I Do It?

How can I prevent someone from using my Social Security number to apply for a job?

That’s what a listener recently asked Clark.

Asked Carrie in Florida: “With the recent database breach that included Social Security numbers, is it a wise idea to create an E-Verify.gov account to lock your Social Security number?

“I’m aware that you can do a credit freeze and/or lock your credit file. But that doesn’t keep anyone from still using your Social Security number for work or to be used in a background check.”

More and more companies are using E-Verify to screen candidates for jobs. People will engage in identity theft not just to obtain credit cards but for the purpose of being able to work, Clark says, by pretending to be you.

“And let me tell you, with the IRS, later, there’s real problems when somebody else is reporting income under your Social Security number,” Clark says.

“So that’s why the government now has this procedure where you lock your Social Security number so it cannot be used in the e-verify process.”

How To Lock Your Social Security Number

You may know how to freeze and thaw your credit. But you may not know how to lock your Social Security number using E-Verify.

“It is a simple process,” Clark says. “It’s very different than the way credit freeze stuff works that we were just talking about. But it is a simple thing to do to prevent that person, whoever it might be, from wherever, impersonating you for the purpose of gaining employment.”

I created an E-Verify account and locked my own Social Security number. It took me 20 minutes, partially because navigating to the correct page from E-Verify.com wasn’t as straightforward as I hoped.

Now that I’ve been through the process, hopefully, I can save you time and let you know what to expect.

13 Steps To Locking Your Social Security Number With E-Verify

1. Go to myE-Verify on the website.
2. Click “Create Account.”
3. Type in your email address.
4. Find the confirmation email in your inbox and verify yourself by clicking the link.
5. Go through and agree to the terms & conditions.
6. Create a password.
7. Set up two-factor authentication (2FA) via an authenticator app, email or text.
8. Print, write down or otherwise save your permanent backup code in case you lose access to your 2FA option.
9. Set up five security questions.
10. Accept more terms of service.
11. Provide your name, date of birth, Social Security number, address and phone number.
12. Take an identity proofing quiz to verify it’s you.
13. Click on “Manage My SSN,” then “Lock My SSN” and set up more challenge (security) questions.

From the E-Verify website:

“Once you lock your SSN, no one can use your SSN in E-Verify or Self Check—including you. For example, if you are currently employed and you start a new job with an E-Verify employer, they will not be able to access your information and you will receive a Self Lock DHS Tentative Nonconfirmation (Mismatch). If you receive a DHS TNC, you will receive instructions on how to resolve it.

“To avoid receiving a Self Lock DHS TNC, you can unlock your SSN before starting a new job with an E-Verify employer.”

Final Thoughts

E-Verify is becoming a prominent tool for employee background checks. With Social Security numbers getting leaked in data breaches all the time, it’s a great idea to create an E-Verify account. That way you can lock your Social Security number and prevent crooks from using it to gain employment.

The post Should I Create an E-Verify.gov Account To Lock My Social Security Number? appeared first on Clark Howard.