A victim of identity w/a newly stolen SSN, would I be creating even more headaches by changing to a new SSN?

Question

My SSN and bank account numbers were recently stolen along with an attempt to financially damage me. Would I be creating even more headaches for myself by attempting to change my current SSN to a new SSN? I am near retirement and just joined Medicare. Thanks.

Answer 1

If your numbers were stolen, they could already have been sold on the internet, so changing you SSN and accounts are no longer an option, they are a must. The SSA and your banks will be very helpful with this matter, and it should not cause you any trouble at retirement.

You also need to put fraud alerts on all of your accounts, change all of your credit cards to a new SSN, and close all lines of credit you are not actively using. Closing an account does not close a line of credit; you have to send a letter to each company that issued you a line of credit instructing them to close it forever. You also need to contact one of the credit reporting agencies and put a fraud alert on your credit file, and instruct them to seal your file. Any one of them will pass this info to the other three. Sealing your file will make it hard for someone to obtain a line of credit without your signature, and will make it impossible for others to view your credit file without your consent.

You should also write a letter to the Direct Marketing Association to have your name removed from their mail marketing lists. This will put a stop to unsolicited offers that someone could steal from your mailbox.