ST. GEORGE — Scams to steal your personal information are at an all-time high. That’s why it remains critical to safeguard important personal documents — like your Social Security card, the administration said in a news release.
Keeping your card at home reduces the risk of loss or theft and helps you keep your information safe. A Social Security card is not an identification document.
In many situations, you only need to know your Social Security number and your physical card is not necessary for most business needs, the administration says. If you need to provide evidence for work purposes, several documents can be used instead of your card.
These include, birth certificates permanent resident card or alien registration receipt, employment authorization document or Form I-94 or Form I-94A.
Applicants do not need to show your physical card to apply for certain benefits. They can simply provide your SSN for benefits like housing, health insurance and food assistance.
The media release stated that residents should also know a physical card is not required as evidence for the Department of Motor Vehicles. The only state that requires a physical card is Pennsylvania. For all other states, acceptable evidence includes:
- W-2 forms.
- Form SSA-1099.
- Non-SSA-1099 forms.
- Pay stubs.
Click here to learn more about keeping your card and information safe, or to access the Fraud Prevention and Reporting webpage.