How to Identify Fraudulent Social Security Card

It has become more important than ever to be aware of how and who you do business with due to all the scams that are now going on. Some people are even using fraudulent social security cards to conduct scams on innocent people.

Ways to Identify a Fake Social Security Card

• Make sure the name that is printed on the social security card matches the cardholder's signature. If the card is authentic it will have the cardholder's signature on the back. You can compare it with the signature on their driver's license. It is illegal for someone else to sign another person's social security card unless the cardholder is impaired.


• Social security cards are printed on special paper to prevent fraud. The paper is fairly rough and is slightly heavier than printer paper. Always feels the card and try to estimate the weight by holding it in the palm of your hand.


• Pay close attention to the numbers printed on the card. Legitimate social security numbers will have three numbers separated by a dash followed by two more numbers and a dash followed by four numbers. Be leery of a car that has a series of the same number such as 7777. The chances of this being a legitimate card are slim.


• Use a magnifying glass to closely examine the print on the card. There should not be any smudges or out of line numbers or letters. The government has quality control mechanisms in place to prevent this from happening.