🤔 Anyone Else Concerned About Our FULL Social Security Numbers Are On Our MAILED Yearly Statement?

[Anonymous]

3 comments (1/22/23) I had never paid attention to the area our Social Security Numbers are printed on our YEARLY Social Security Retirement STATEMENT until last week when I received this year's copy in my MAILBOX.

I guess I was not paying attention since retiring July 2020.

I am signed up to get everything ONLINE, but for some reason they INSIST on mailing ONLY this to my apartment address.

I can see the ONLINE version, so why mail me a PRINT COPY?

Hmmm, suppose a dishonest postal worker opens the envelope which is obviously just 1 sheet and from the Social Security Administration.

Suppose our mail gets stolen or delivered to the wrong person.

I would have thought using the usual x's would protect us. Example, xxx-xx-1234.

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Thank you,

Nicole (Social Security Forum)

[sflibrarian]

Thanks for starting this thread. Also very grateful for info from @DonnaM857528 (below) with details on who to contact to enlist help in changing this. I will definitely follow up with letters/phone.

This is not a trivial issue … I received my 1099 from SSA with envelope perforation torn off on left side, exposing my full SSN. Others have also had this happen. 

And to clarify (again): this is the annual 1099 that SSA sends out to retirees for tax filing. And yes, you can access this from their website but there is currently no way to opt out of receiving it by mail. (Apparently mandated by the IRS.)

[DonnaM857528]

Thank you for this post because I am very concerned as well. I have my communication preferences set on my Social Security website but they still send it in the mail. The Social Security number needs to be truncated like everyone is doing in today’s world because of identity theft. The USPS is continually miss delivering our mail. This is a real problem. Please if you are reading this, take action. I included contact info below.
I just sent an email to AARP to help us address this issue. The next step is to write to the SSA commissioner. There is a also a phone number to call the commissioners at the Office of Public Inquiry. phone number 410-965-2982

or send your concern and  request to truncate the SSN on our 1099 statements via email to OPI.net.post@SSA.gov. I spoke to a representative at the office of public inquiry today and she states that she believes it’s a law that 1099’s have to be mailed and it would take an act of Congress to change the law. She suggested making sure you send this email as well as contacting your government representatives about this important issue.

Thank you!

[sflibrarian]

@DonnaM857528 —

Thanks so much for including the information on how (and who) to contact for this issue. I received my 2022 1099 from the SSA and the left side perforation was torn off, which exposed my SSN. I know that others have also had this happen (google it). I will follow up as you suggest. I also suspect legislation is source of problem and will copy AARP Public Policy on correspondence.

[Winter2024]

5 comments (Wednesday 1/10/24)

Hi Donna @DonnaM857528 , I am glad to find someone who also is concerned.

The sad part about all this, is the fact that alot of Retirees STILL have their payments MAILED to their HOME ADDRESS!!!  😱😱

Not me - DIRECT DEPOSIT to my bank and I have ALERTS set up to email and text me for ALL activity. Bottom line, it seems IDENTITY THEFT is not a priority for Social Security Division.  😤

[fffred]

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The sad part about all this, is the fact that alot of Retirees STILL have their payments MAILED to their HOME ADDRESS!!!  😱😱

Not me - DIRECT DEPOSIT to my bank and I have ALERTS set up to email and text me for ALL activity. Bottom line, it seems IDENTITY THEFT is not a priority for Social Security Division.  😤

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I find the SSA to be very concerned with Identity Theft. This is shown with the newer log-in methods for "My Social Security" that require confirmation of identity (and ownership of the SSN). 

My understanding from the SSA site is that all new applications for SS or SSI benefits require direct deposit of benefits. Those who already receive benefits may continue to be getting these by check but the SSA strong-arms recipients into changing to direct deposit (I believe I have even seen some complaints about that in this forum). Per this page at the SSA (https://www.ssa.gov/deposit/) "Federal law mandates that all Federal benefit payments – including Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits – must be made electronically" and continues to state "If you are applying for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits, you must elect to receive your benefit payment electronically when you enroll. If you currently receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits by check, you must switch to an electronic payment option listed above."

The SSA has long encouraged beneficiaries to use direct deposit. I recall ad campaigns from long ago, must be the 1980's and 1990's, pushing direct deposit; this was to prevent mailbox theft of SS checks or actual robbery of elders on the day they'd go to the bank to cash their check.

Anyone now setting up a new My Social Security account will see how serious the SSA is about identity theft.

The SSA has a number of problems but I think they mostly get things right and mostly consist of dedicated people doing their best (though not all...I state from personal experience. haha).

[Winter2024]

3 comments (1/11/24) @fffred , what about entire Social Security Numbers on the Retirement Yearly Statements that they insist on mailing to our homes? This is the topic of this thread.

Awesome they are changing things. But this issue, the thread topic still exist.

[fffred]

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@Winter2024 wrote:

@fffred , what about entire Social Security Numbers on the Retirement Yearly Statements that they insist on mailing to our homes? This is the topic of this thread.

Awesome they are changing things. But this issue, the thread topic still exist.

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I have no comment regarding that. I was commenting on the points mentioned in the post I quoted. 

Have a great night!

Edit to add: I don't think I've received a postal mailed annual SSA statement in years. I used to file these annually.

[GailL1]

@fffred wrote

Edit to add: I don't think I've received a postal mailed annual SSA statement in years. I used to file these annually.

===============================

I believe they are referring to the SSA-1099 - the 2022 TY document still showed the whole SS number in Box 2 -

Haven’t received the 2023 TY doc yet to see if this is still the case.

[shamit]

I can confirm that my husband's and my SSA-1099's have the whole SS number in Box 2 as we have received ours already.

[Anonymous]

(2/25/23) Senator Warner here in Virginia did receive a reply from Social Security. The yearly paper version is received by ALL Retirees receiving Social Security. Does NOT matter that we signed up for ONLY "online" communications. It is a TAX FORM "controlled" by IRS. Well, I am sure they have their "reasons" but not sure while I was still WORKING I was "allowed" to PRINT out my tax forms = avoid them being mailed to my home address. Lol, now to HOPE no one "steals" my Yearly Social Security Statement. Take care, Nicole 🙃

[RobertH514774]

I haven't received a paper copy in the mail since 2017 when I signed up online. You can set your communication preferences under 'My Profile'.

[jonibee]

Oh Oh this is not a good thing in todays world..Hopefully something will be done about it ASAP especially the online version which seems to get hacked daily in different things...

[sktn77a]

OP:  Do you have a MySocialSecurity account?  I haven't received a Social Security Statement in the mail since I signed up for MySocialSecurity.  

[GailL1]

@sktn77a 

You don’t get a paper statement showing how much you got from a Social Security benefit during the year for tax purposes?  That’s the form we are talking about - the 1099-SSA used for tax prep.

If you get SSi (Supplimental Security Income) instead of Social Security, then you don’t get a tax statement cause SSI isn’t taxable.

[Winter2024]

3 comments (Saturday 1/13/24)

Hi @sktn77a , yes I do. Have had one since retiring in 2020.

Gail @GailL1 , do you know WHY we are getting these MAILED to us and NOT other folks?

My 2023 copy STILL has my COMPLETE Social Security Number.

I was told by Retirement Social Security folks I had NO CHOSE with this. Would be nice to NOT have a copy MAILED each year.

I access other stuff "online"...

[GailL1]

@Winter2024 

I thought everybody that got a SS benefit got a 1099-SSA for tax purposes.

It will be available online in one’s SS account for reprint but not til later on - by law, they have to get these tax documents to us by the end of January for tax filing season - so they only upload them to the specific accounts later on.

If you want the SS number to be changed on this tax form - write your congress person.  Yes, it should be done - it is already that way for other tax information form from other places.

[DonnaM857528]

thank you! Many people are getting this confused with Social Security statements but we are speaking of the annual Social Security 1099s if you’re receiving Social Security payments as a retiree. As explained before, I was told that they were required to mail the 1099s. This is the issue. Just want be clear because I can see people are getting confused. You need to contact the SSA and your senators about this issue if you’re collecting Social Security and get a 1099 in January to report on your income tax. You cannot opt to get it online. You can get a duplicate 1099 online but the original is mailed every January. Thank you to all who are willing to address this issue. 

[WebWiseWoman]

Ditto, sktn! Not sure where these paper statements are originating from for some... just mho