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Social Security data breach: Experts advise freezing this little-known credit report

Story by Robert Powell, CFP - Retirement, Senior Editor

• 14h •

3 min read

The Trump administration acknowledged in a recent court filing that U.S. DOGE Service members accessed and shared sensitive Social Security data without the knowledge of agency officials.

Reporting by The Washington Post said the admission followed whistleblower claims and a lawsuit alleging the data was misused for political purposes.

While the scope of the exposure remains unclear, privacy and identity-theft experts say the disclosure highlights a larger and ongoing risk for consumers: Social Security numbers are widely held, frequently accessed and among the most powerful tools criminals use to commit fraud.

Experts warn that even limited or unauthorized access to Social Security data can dramatically increase the risk of identity theft, often without victims realizing it until financial or tax damage has already occurred.

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“These kinds of disclosures are extremely troubling,” said Steve Weisman**, an attorney and publisher of the consumer protection website Scamicide.com. “Anyone affected by this is potentially at great risk of identity theft. Social Security numbers are the most critical piece of information when it comes to identity theft.”

Weisman said a stolen Social Security number can be used to open new credit accounts, take over existing ones, and commit tax fraud — sometimes years after the initial exposure.