Someone was using my step-daughters SS number

[Texashiker]

My step-daughter found out this morning someone in Houston was using her social security number. She was applying for some state benefits for her kids. The department ran a check of her SS number to confirm her income level.

The employer was contacted, and the worker has been fired after not being able to provide proof of identification.

How is this going to affect her income taxes and social security? Since the employer was reporting the income under her SS number, how will this affect her taxes at the end of the year?

 

[EagleKeeper]

She needs to get a statement that the SS # was being used illegally by other party.

Then send in that statement with her taxes that have been filed during the time that person was using the SS#.

Then start checking her credit report every 3 months for the next few years to ensure that nothing had been opened.

 

[SheHateMe]

Wait, somebody used her SS to get a job?

Wow.

 

[postmortemIA]

Houston

 

[Printer Bandit]

we gots a problem

 

[highland145]

Wait, somebody used her SS to get a job?

Wow.

This.

Maybe she should get her own job. Damn aliens.

 

[Texashiker]

Wait, somebody used her SS to get a job?

Wow.

Records show the guy used her number in Illinois and Houston.

 

[Fritzo]

That kind of crap can affect you for years. Glad you caught it early. Best of luck.

 

[who?]

You have to have an SSN to get a job so visa overstayers and illegal border crossers will make one up and see if it works. If the employer doesn't use e-verify they have no way to know.

 

[klinc]

How old is she?

 

[dawp]

How old is she?

since she has kids I would say old enough.

 

[Fausto]

since she has kids I would say old enough.

So, at least 12. This is rural TX we're talking about here.

 

[PokerGuy]

That sucks, and definitely a growing problem. She has to get a statement from the SS office that the SS# was being used by a third party. This year, she's probably going to have to file her taxes manually (as in print and send) rather than filing electronically because her records might be a mess.

I'd definitely get the credit reports asap and make sure there's no stuff on there that shouldn't be.

It's a long and painful process to dig out of that identity theft hole.

There has to be a better way to handle ID and credit/financial/medical records than how we do it in this country.

 

[Jimzz]

Tell her to turn down that liberal gov aid and take the job. Her SS# is already there so just tell her to fill in the rest since that place has a opening now.

 

[unokitty]

My step-daughter found out this morning someone in Houston was using her social security number. She was applying for some state benefits for her kids. The department ran a check of her SS number to confirm her income level.

The employer was contacted, and the worker has been fired after not being able to provide proof of identification.

How is this going to affect her income taxes and social security? Since the employer was reporting the income under her SS number, how will this affect her taxes at the end of the year?

This isn't that uncommon. Twenty years ago, a school I worked at in Florida had to stop using SS as IDnumbers because we had too many duplicates.

Though, you should treat it seriously. If you haven't already, your daughter probably should look over the Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft.

If you want to see how bad this problem is in Florida, you might want to read the testimony from one of the Tampa PD officers here. (PDF Format)

Best of luck,
Uno

 

[SKORPI0]

Records show the guy used her number in Illinois and Houston.

So a guy used her SS# to get a job. How come the workplace didn't check for discrepancies/or match SS# to a name? ^_^

 

[EagleKeeper]

So a guy used her SS# to get a job. How come the workplace didn't check for discrepancies/or match SS# to a name? ^_^

Workplaces are supposed to check the IDs when verifing the I9.

Many do not.

E-verify is costly

Others do not want to know

 

[highland145]

Workplaces are supposed to check the IDs when verifing the I9.

Many do not.

E-verify is costly

Others do not want to know

And a PITA. I have to change my password frequently and with letters/numbers and special characters. And significantly different from previous ones.

 

[SunnyD]

Have your daughter sue the employer for hiring illegal workers and/or facilitating fraud using her SSN. She won't need that government welfare check!

 

[EagleKeeper]

Have your daughter sue the employer for hiring illegal workers and/or facilitating fraud using her SSN. She won't need that government welfare check!

Only US Government can go after the employer for not verifying properly

 

[Raizinman]

Having worked in an HR department for a large company, it is very common for people to use a wrong SS number. The reasons were:
1) Worker had multiple jobs and didn't want any record of this job or the income listed.
2) Wrong SS# prevents child support enforcment or other garnishers from finding you for a while.
3) Being an Illegal or wanted by the law.

Depending on the size of the company, it could be many months or even longer before someone finds out.