Information obtained in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)  lawsuit by the Immigration Reform Law Institute indicated there were 39 million instances between 2012 and 2016 where the name given on W-2 tax forms did not match the name on the Social Security account.

A thriving black market for Social Security Numbers was created as a direct result of the government’s 2012 decision to discontinue the practice of sending “no-match” letters to employers and employees.  The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires employers to verify a new hires eligibility to work the United States by completing an I-9 form and providing documentation to their employers to show their identity and authorization to work this country.  Only U.S. citizens and foreign workers legally in the U.S. can legally obtain social security numbers. Often undocumented workers will provide a fake or stolen Social Security Number on the I-9 form to be able to work.  Whereas not all social security name mismatches may correspond to undocumented workers using a Social Security Number to work illegally, many are likely clerical errors or name changes. Still, the use of stolen social security numbers used to work illegally in the U.S. is significant.  The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reported that 1.4 million employed illegal aliens in 2015 used stolen or false Social Security Numbers to get hired.

Is someone using my social security number to work illegally?

Yes, it’s certainly a possibility.  It’s estimated that about 10% of illegal aliens use stolen social security numbers to work and pay taxes.

Won’t the government do something about it when they discover the name mismatch?

Probably not, recently IRS Commissioner John Koskinen made the surprising statement in response to a question asked by Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., at a Senate Finance Committee meeting.

The question was,

“Is the IRS collaborating with taxpayers who file tax returns using fraudulent information?”

The commissioner’s response was,

“What we learned is that ... the IRS continues to process tax returns with false W-2 information and issue refunds as if they were routine tax returns and say that's not really our job. We also learned the IRS ignores notifications from the Social Security Administration that a name does not match a Social Security number, and you use your own system to determine whether a number is valid."

The Social Security Administration (SSA) and IRS may notify an employer when names don’t match a Social Security Number, but the SSA has no power to enforce penalties.  IRS does have enforcement powers, but seldom investigates employers with high numbers of suspect W2’s because of limited resources and the employer usual can easily demonstrate they have done due diligence.  Further, the maximum fine they can levy is only $50. So, there’s no financial incentive for them to do so.

What’s the impact to me if someone else is using my social number to work illegally?

If someone uses your Social Security Number for employment purposes you may receive a letter from the IRS stating, you have unreported income and that you owe the associated tax plus possibly penalties.  Immigrants who use social security numbers to get employment often end up using the numbers for other purposes: obtaining credit cards or car loans. Those credit activities can ultimately be blended in with the victim’s credit, sometimes with disastrous results.

What can I do?

Sign up today for Identity Armor Shield and protect your Social Security Number from becoming the next entry point for illegal aliens. Our proprietary IDENTITY ARMOR’s Early Detection and Notification System continually scans and monitors the latest information available detecting any instances of possible fraud. If any of your information appears compromised or if there is an attempt to access your credit, we will instantly alert you by sending you a text and email alerting you of the possible fraud.   In the event, you receive an alert our Identity Theft Advisors are standing by to assist in resolving the problem and stop it before it starts.

Call (888) 556-7609 or click today to take advantage of our Limited Time Offer: $5.99 per month Regularly: $9.99/mo

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