Another child has my daughters SS#

[ajritter04]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Mexico

My daughter was born Aug, 1st, 2001 in Albuquerque NM. I applied for her SS# Aug, 2nd, 2001 and received it 2 wks later in the mail. In oct 2007 my son was diagnosed with Autism and I applied for SSI...during that time is when I found out a child in SC was issued the SAME SS# who was born after I applied! Which I was told should have never been able to happen being each state is issued their own numbers. But it did happen, I was told then in 07' that the problem would be fixed. Around Jan 08' I called to check the status of getting her SS# fixed it still wasn't fixed and I was told to come to the local office with her card, BC, and medicade card, I went the day I called the office. Got there and again was told it would be taken care of right away. In Feb I call and yet it's still not taken care of I'm told to come into the local office AGAIN with the same set of papers I had the first time....told again it will be taken care of. FF>> to April when I filed my taxes I go to claim my daughter on my taxes and can't because she has already been claimed on someone elses taxes. So I call again and get told to rinse and repeat from the previous times at the local office....this time I get told from some guy that what I was explaining to him could never happen and refused to help me.

Today I had an audit for my sons SSI and while filling out some papers I saw that the name they had down for my daughter wasn't her name at all...it was the other childs name! So it still isn't fixed and it's been nearly 3 yrs since we found out what has happened. I again was told that it would be fixed right away....I don't trust this office....is there something else I can do? I am afraid that will will screw up my daughters future.

 

[CourtClerk]

The person at the SSA office is correct, it's can't happen from SC to NM. What's more likely happened is some illegal immigrant has gotten hold of the number and is using it.

Why don't you call your US Congressman's office.

 

[ajritter04]

Well it has happened and it has been confirmed by several office workers...one being that main manager. The childs name is so similar to my daughters name and the mothers name is so close to mine also.

What will contacting my congressman do?

 

[CourtClerk]

Well it has happened and it has been confirmed by several office workers...one being that main manager. The childs name is so similar to my daughters name and the mothers name is so close to mine also.

Sounds like identity theft to me....

and they have no business disclosing who the other party is.

 

[ajritter04]

They didn't come out and tell me....instead they had the other child listed as my child on some forms for me to sign. That is how I found out the name of the other child and was told that the mothers name is similar to mine, but didn't actually give me the mothers name.

 

[Onderzoek]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Mexico

My daughter was born Aug, 1st, 2001 in Albuquerque NM. I applied for her SS# Aug, 2nd, 2001 and received it 2 wks later in the mail. In oct 2007 my son was diagnosed with Autism and I applied for SSI...during that time is when I found out a child in SC was issued the SAME SS# who was born after I applied! Which I was told should have never been able to happen being each state is issued their own numbers. But it did happen, I was told then in 07' that the problem would be fixed. Around Jan 08' I called to check the status of getting her SS# fixed it still wasn't fixed and I was told to come to the local office with her card, BC, and medicade card, I went the day I called the office. Got there and again was told it would be taken care of right away. In Feb I call and yet it's still not taken care of I'm told to come into the local office AGAIN with the same set of papers I had the first time....told again it will be taken care of. FF>> to April when I filed my taxes I go to claim my daughter on my taxes and can't because she has already been claimed on someone elses taxes. So I call again and get told to rinse and repeat from the previous times at the local office....this time I get told from some guy that what I was explaining to him could never happen and refused to help me.

Today I had an audit for my sons SSI and while filling out some papers I saw that the name they had down for my daughter wasn't her name at all...it was the other childs name! So it still isn't fixed and it's been nearly 3 yrs since we found out what has happened. I again was told that it would be fixed right away....I don't trust this office....is there something else I can do? I am afraid that will will screw up my daughters future.

What exactly do you think needs to be 'fixed'? SSA cannot undo what was done. If a mistake was made when the second child applied for a card, that mistake will be a permanent part of your daughter's computer (Numident) record. It cannot disappear.

However, the most recent numident record should be the correct one with the right parent names and spellings. So, if that has been done, SSA has done what they can do.

However, SSA cannot stop anyone else from making up or borrowing anyone's SSN, and perhaps this other parent does not know that she is using the wrong SSN. And the other problem is that so many other agencies use the SS number as an identifier for their programs that once someone uses a number erroneously, it can take a LONG time to correct all the other records.

You need to file a paper tax return since it can't be done electronically. You will need to explain your situation to the IRS. Probably over and over. Next year, you may want to file some sort of tax return immediately on January 1st and then file an amended return before April 15. You may want to put a freeze on your daughter's credit report (yes, I know she is just a child but it is better to be proactive).

Unfortunately, SSA may have cause the problems, but they can't do much to fix the problems in other agencies once they have fixed the computer record of Social Security cards. If the IRS rejects the other person's tax return next year, that may force the mother to go to SSA to apply for a replacement card and then she may be made aware of the problem when the ID info she provides doesn't match the computer record. You can also keep track of any earnings that get posted to your daughter's earnings record by asking for a Social Security statement (or facsimile therof) every year.

 

[ajritter04]

I'm trying to get this "fixed" while she is still young.

 

[Onderzoek]

I'm trying to get this "fixed" while she is still young.

But what does being "fixed" mean? To get rid of the fact that it happened? To stop someone else from using her SSN? Not sure how you can fix it if that is your goal.

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Sounds like mom is trying to get it so that the only one with her daughter's SS number is the one daughter.

A possible fix is for them to issue a new number to the daughter.

If it appears that there is fraud, mom needs to file a police report on identity threft and run with that.

 

[ajritter04]

Sounds like mom is trying to get it so that the only one with her daughter's SS number is the one daughter.

A possible fix is for them to issue a new number to the daughter.

If it appears that there is fraud, mom needs to file a police report on identity threft and run with that.

Yes that is what I am trying to get done....I was told that she couldn't get a new # assigned to her because she is the first one to get that #.....so why not issue a new # to the other child?

Social Security has already admitted(not in writing) to me that this is their mistake.

 

[ajritter04]

Some good news FINALLY! I just got off the phone with the head of the SSA office here, I go into the office tomorrow to get my daughter a NEW #! The old # is going to be canceled out!

The SSA has made several attempts to find the other person/s with the same # as my daughters and they cannot find them physically they are in the SSA's computer system but that is all. So the old # is going to be erased from all systems and my daughter will get a whole new #!

 

[Onderzoek]

You need to keep copies of all correspondence and the prior SS card for a long time. You will need to notify any other agency/business that has been using your daughter's old SSN (insurance companies, IRS, etc) of the corrected SSN but it may take more than one contact.

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[ajritter04]

Well I can't keep the old card because the # no longer exists they erased it from their system. The other person can no longer use it either. They have given me several letters stating that the $ is no longer valid and that they have also been in contact with the IRS so they are aware whats going on and will be able to help me.