Social security number prefix

The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administrationan independent agency of the United States government. Although the original purpose for the number was for the Social Security Administration bbabydolly track individuals, [1] the Social Security number has become a de social security number prefix national identification number for taxation and other purposes. Within three months, 25 million numbers were issued.

The Area Number is assigned by the geographical region. Prior to , cards were issued in local Social Security offices around the country and the Area Number represented the State in which the card was issued. This did not necessarily have to be the State where the applicant lived, since a person could apply for their card in any Social Security office. Since , when SSA began assigning SSNs and issuing cards centrally from Baltimore, the area number assigned has been based on the ZIP code in the mailing address provided on the application for the original Social Security card. The applicant's mailing address does not have to be the same as their place of residence.

Social security number prefix

We're no longer updating this page, so the information on it may be out of date. See our current work related to privacy. Check out our 4-star rating on Charity Navigator. Join EFF Lists. Electronic Frontier Foundation. Podcast Episode: 'I Squared' Governance. Structure of Social Security Numbers. The first three-digit field is called the "area number". The central, two-digit field is called the "group number". The final, four-digit field is called the "serial number". Area Numbers The area numbers were assigned to geographical locations in a manner analogous to the way in which ZIP codes were later assigned in particular, area numbers increase from east to west across the continental US as do the ZIP codes. Most area numbers were assigned according to state or territorial boundaries, although the series was assigned to railroad workers regardless of location this series of area numbers was discontinued in and is no longer used for new SSNs. With few exceptions, each geographical area is assigned a range of area numbers. Area numbers assigned prior to are an indication of the location of the SSA office which originally issued the SSN. Since SSNs have been issued centrally and the area number in SSNs assigned since corresponds to the residence location of the applicant as indicated on the application for the SSN.

Some SSNs used in advertising have rendered those numbers invalid. It was really just a bookkeeping device for our own internal use and was never intended to be anything more than that.

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Created merely to keep track of the earnings history of U. Assigned at birth, the SSN enables government agencies to identify individuals in their records and businesses to track an individual's financial information. The author also wishes to thank the many employees in the Office of Income Support Programs and the Office of Earnings and Enumeration and Administrative Systems who reviewed the article for technical correctness. The findings and conclusions presented in the Bulletin are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Social Security Administration. Since then, use of the SSN has expanded substantially.

Social security number prefix

The Area number is the first three digits of a Social Security Number, the Group number is the middle two digits and the Series number is the final four digits. From November , when Social Security Numbers were first issued until June 25, these numbers indicated when and where a Social Security Number was issued. We can even use this information to determine if a number was issued. It is important to remember, these numbers indicate where a numbers was issued—not where the person was born. Social Security Numbers where not Enumerated at Birth until around In mid the Social Security Administration began to issue Social Security Numbers randomly - doing away with the previous encoding scheme. After June 25, all newly issued numbers are randomized among the remaining un-issued, valid Social Security Numbers. Some Social Security Numbers are invalid and will never be issued. Social Security Numbers beginning with , , or numbers with Area number greater than will never be issued. Once the remaining un-issued, valid numbers are used up we will have to change to a new numbering scheme.

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However, the number was found to be in use by 12 individuals as late as More recently, Todd Davis distributed his SSN in advertisements for his company's LifeLock identity theft protection service, which allowed his identity to be stolen over a dozen times. For example, if the highest group assigned for area is 72, then we know that the number is an invalid number because even Groups under 9 have not yet been assigned. These ranges are not assigned in chronological order. The first three-digit field is called the "area number". Identity confusion has also occurred because of the use of local Social Security numbers by the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau, whose numbers overlap with those of residents of New Hampshire and Maine. This is an archival or historical document and may not reflect current policies or procedures. Generally, numbers were assigned beginning in the northeast and moving south and west, so that people applying from addresses on the east coast had the lowest numbers and those on the west coast had the highest numbers. Financial institutions generally require an SSN to set up bank accounts , credit cards , and loans —partly because they assume that no one except the person it was issued to knows it. Group Numbers The group number is not related to geography but rather to the order in which SSNs are issued for a particular area. This did not have to be in the area where the applicant lived, because one could apply for a card in any Social Security office. Read Edit View history. Social Security Online. Thus, the Area Number does not necessarily represent the State of residence of the applicant, either prior to or since.

In many ways, your Social Security number is as much a part of you as your date of birth—it follows you from birth to death and can serve as a key to your sensitive information. You probably even know the number by heart.

Press Press Contact. Even numbers, 02 to 08 4. Composite SSN Assignment The composite numbers are assigned starting with serial number and running through all assigned area numbers for the first group code. The original area number assignments have been augmented as required. Even before SSN randomization, the group numbers were not assigned consecutively in an area. Odd numbers, 01 to 09 2. December 2, Ferree Company in Lockport, New York , decided to promote its product by showing how a Social Security card would fit into its wallets. However, since the Social Security numbers were not assigned in chronological order, Sweeney did not receive the lowest Social Security number, A sample card, used for display purposes, was placed in each wallet, which was sold by Woolworth and other department stores across the country; the wallet manufacturer's vice president and treasurer Douglas Patterson used the actual SSN of his secretary, Hilda Schrader Whitcher. Nine-digit number issued to U. Although the original purpose for the number was for the Social Security Administration to track individuals, [1] the Social Security number has become a de facto national identification number for taxation and other purposes. PMID Ars Technica. Join EFF Lists.