Social Security Validation and Verification

http://www.ssa.gov/

Validation

A social security number is easily validated using information available from the Social Security Administration’s official website. For convenience, it’s included here, but remember-new numbers are issued daily so check for updates.

Here are some points to keep in mind:

• Each social security number is unique and assigned to one person only.
• When a person dies, the number is not reassigned. Ever. Anyone telling you different is either a crook or highly misinformed.

Social Security Number Basics

The social security number is always nine digits, divided into three parts: 123-45-6789

Area Number-

123-45-6789

The first set of three digits is the area number. Before 1972, cards were issued from Social Security Administration offices around the country. The area number indicated the location of the issuing office. Individuals could apply anywhere in the country. In 1972, the SSA started issuing all numbers from their central office in Baltimore and the area number became based on the application’s zip code. It’s good policy to check the state indicated by the SSN against the corresponding sex offender database. Even if the applicant didn’t actually live in the town of the issuing office, it’s a good bet they were in close proximity.

The information below is also available here:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/stateweb.htm

NOTE: The tables below were last updated in 2007. Head over to the link above for the most current information.

001-003	New Hampshire		261-267	Florida		449-467	Texas		530	Nevada
004-007	Maine		589-595			627-645			680
008-009	Vermont		766-772			468-477	Minnesota		531-539	Washington
010-034	Massachusetts		268-302	Ohio		478-485	Iowa		540-544	Oregon
035-039	Rhode Island		303-317	Indiana		486-500	Missouri		545-573	California
040-049	Connecticut		318-361	Illinois		501-502	North Dakota		602-626
050-134	New York		362-386	Michigan		503-504	South Dakota		574	Alaska
135-158	New Jersey		387-399	Wisconsin		505-508	Nebraska		575-576	Hawaii
159-211	Pennsylvania		400-407	Kentucky		509-515	Kansas		750
212-220	Maryland		408-415	Tennessee		516-517	Montana		751
221-222	Delaware		756-763			518-519	Idaho		577-579	District of Columbia
223-231	Virginia		416-424	Alabama		520	Wyoming		580	Virgin Islands
691-699			425-428	Mississippi		521-524	Colorado		580-584	Puerto Rico
232-236	West Virginia		587			650-653			596-599
232	North Carolina		588			525,585	New Mexico		586	Guam
237-246			752-755			648-649			586	American Samoa
681-690			429-432	Arkansas		526-527	Arizona		586	Philippine Islands
247-251	South Carolina		676-679			600-601			700-728	Railroad Board**
654-658			433-439	Louisiana		764-765			729-733	Enumeration at Entry
252-260	Georgia		659-665			528-529	Utah
667-675			440-448	Oklahoma		646-647

NOTE: The same area, when shown more than once, means that certain numbers have been transferred from one State to another, or that an area has been divided for use among certain geographic locations.
Any number beginning with 000 will NEVER be a valid SSN.
The information in our records about an individual is confidential by law and cannot be disclosed except in certain very restricted cases permitted by regulations.

** 700-728 Issuance of these numbers to railroad employees was discontinued July 1, 1963.

Note: This information is from the SSA government website..

Group Number

123-45-6789
The middle 2 digits are the group number and range from 01 to 99. For some unfathomable reason involving pre-computer filing systems, these numbers are assigned in the following order:

Odd- 01, 03, 05, 07, 09

Even- 10 to 98

Even- 02, 04, 06, 08,

Odd- 11 to 99

The High Group Listing page at the Social Security Administration website is updated monthly. This page shows the SSN area and group numbers that are in the process of being issued. By printing out a copy  and checking it against the number in question, you can easily validate the group number.

For example, if the highest group number assigned for area 195 (Pennsylvania) is 80 (within the EVEN, 10 to 98 range), then you know number 236-13-1234 is invalid because group numbers in the ODD, 11 to 99 range have not been assigned. Check the High Group

Listing at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/ssnvhighgroup.htm

Serial Number

123-45-6789

The serial number is the last four digits. They’re assigned in order starting with 0001 and ending with 9999 as the applications are processed. Number 0000 is never issued, but a few creative bad guys have tried passing it anyway. With that exception, the serial number tells very little. Concentrate your attention on the area and group number.

Information is based on Social Security Administration data and is available on their website: http://www.ssa.gov/

Software programs are available that validate social security numbers and also provide the year the number was issued. Knowing the year of issue can highlight major discrepancies.

Example: An applicant’s number was issued 10 years ago, but you note a 20 year work history. In highly technical, background check business terms, this is called ‘a red flag.’ It needs ‘splainin’, Lucy.

One recommended program available on cdrom is The SSN Guide by BRB Publications. The program sells for $29.95 plus shipping.

http://www.brbpub.com/books/details.asp?ProductID=415&SessionID=%7B4668D107%2D5FFE%2D4ECA%2D93B9%2DEDC7D87ED81B%7D

Verification

To verify a social security number, call the Social Security Administration’s toll free number. You’ll need the following:

• Your business or organization’s Employee Identification Number (EIN)
• First, last, and middle name along with maiden name if applicable
• Date of birth
• Gender

Form B has a section to complete before making the call with room at the bottom for recording the information you get from the Social Security Administration. The SSA will verify up to 5 numbers per call. The toll free number is: 800-772-6270.

NOTE: The SSA now has an online verification service. The webpage with details is located here:

http://www.ssa.gov/employer/ssnv.htm

At this time, I’m unable to confirm whether the phone service is still operational. If anyone finds out, please send the information via email and I’ll update this section.

Always and Forever Invalid Social Security Numbers

If the social security number you’re checking has any of the following characteristics, it’s invalid or impossible:

• § AREA, GROUP, or SERIAL sections with all zeroes (for example, 000-45-6789, 123-00-6789, 123-45-0000)
• § AREA number 666 (you can tell your conspiracy theory friends that the rumors aren’t true. This number never has and never will be issued.)
• § AREA numbers 700 to 728 (These were issued to railroad workers through July 1, 1963, then discontinued. For some murky reason, they were associated with another government program.)
• § AREA numbers 900-999 (used when State Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled was converted to a federal program administered by SSA. See the railroad workers above. Never mind, just take my word for it-they’re invalid.)
• § Some social security numbers were used in advertising, making them invalid. In 1938, the E. H. Ferree Company in Lockport, New York decided to promote their wallets by showing how a social security card could fit inside. The number, 078-05-1120, was claimed by over 40,000 people in the following years.

According to several sources, the following social security numbers have been used in ads. I haven’t been able to confirm this list with the Social Security Administration, but if you run across one of these, count it invalid until proven otherwise and take a hard look at the rest of the application.

002-28-1852	042-10-3580	062-36-0749	078-05-1120	095-07-3645
128-03-6045	135-01-6629	141-18-6941	165-16-7999	165-18-7999
165-20-7999	165-22-7999	165-24-7999	189-09-2294	212-09-7694
212-09-9999	306-30-2348	308-12-5070	468-28-8779	549-24-1889

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