Can Someone Use Your Social Security Number With a Different Name?

Your Social Security number (SSN) is a crucial piece of personal information used for tax filings, credit records, and financial accounts. If someone else uses your SSN with a different name, it can create serious complications that take time to resolve. This type of misuse is often linked to identity theft or fraud, leading to long-term consequences.

Understanding the risks and warning signs can help protect you from unauthorized use of your SSN.

How It Affects Tax Filings

If someone files a tax return using your SSN under a different name, it can create conflicts with the IRS, which relies on SSNs to track income, tax payments, and refunds. If two returns are submitted with the same number, the IRS may flag the discrepancy, delaying processing and potentially freezing refunds.

Employers report wages to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and IRS using SSNs. If someone else is using yours, their reported income could be added to your tax record, resulting in an unexpected tax bill. The IRS may send a CP2000 notice, which compares reported income with what was filed and demands additional taxes, penalties, and interest.

If fraudulent use of your SSN leads to an IRS audit, proving the income does not belong to you can be time-consuming. The IRS Identity Theft Victim Assistance (IDTVA) unit handles these cases, but resolution can take months. Victims often need to submit Form 14039, an Identity Theft Affidavit, along with a copy of their Social Security card, a government-issued ID, and any IRS notices received.

Consequences for Credit Records

If someone uses your SSN with a different name to apply for credit, unauthorized accounts may be opened in your name. Lenders rely on SSNs to verify identities, so if an application is approved, it will be linked to your credit profile. This can result in loans, credit cards, or other financial obligations being reported under your SSN, affecting your credit history and score.

Unfamiliar accounts appearing on your credit report can lower your score, especially if payments are missed or balances are high. Payment history accounts for 35% of a FICO score, and even one late payment can cause a drop of over 100 points. High credit utilization—another major factor—can increase if fraudulent accounts carry large balances, making it harder to qualify for loans or favorable interest rates.

Collection agencies may also pursue you for unpaid debts from fraudulent accounts. If the identity thief fails to make payments, creditors might report the delinquency to the major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This can lead to calls from debt collectors, legal action, or even wage garnishment if a judgment is obtained. Disputing these accounts requires submitting evidence to both the credit bureaus and original creditors, which can take months to resolve. Victims should request a free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com and place fraud alerts or credit freezes to prevent further damage.

Indicators of Unauthorized Activity

Unexpected correspondence from financial institutions or government agencies can be an early warning sign that your SSN is being misused. Notices regarding accounts or transactions you don’t recognize, such as approval letters for loans you never applied for or bills for unfamiliar services, often indicate fraudulent activity. Letters from the SSA about benefits you never requested could suggest someone is using your SSN for employment or government assistance fraud.

Errors in employment records may also signal unauthorized use. If you receive a W-2 or 1099 form from an employer you never worked for, it could mean someone is using your SSN to report earnings under a different name. The SSA tracks earnings to calculate future benefits, and incorrect records could affect your Social Security benefits. Reviewing your earnings statement through your mySocialSecurity account can help identify discrepancies.

Medical services billed in your name that you never received are another red flag. Fraudsters sometimes use stolen SSNs to obtain healthcare, leading to insurance claims that could impact your medical records. Incorrect diagnoses or treatments linked to your identity might result in denied claims or coverage issues when you seek legitimate care. Checking your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements from your insurer can help catch fraudulent charges early.

Effects on Personal Financial Accounts

Unauthorized use of a Social Security number can directly impact banking relationships, jeopardizing both access to funds and the integrity of financial records. Fraudsters may exploit stolen credentials to open checking or savings accounts, triggering compliance reviews under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. If a fraudulent account is flagged for suspicious activity, financial institutions may freeze or even close legitimate accounts associated with the same SSN, disrupting everyday transactions like direct deposits and bill payments.

Compromised banking information can also result in unauthorized withdrawals or transfers. If a thief provides a different name but successfully links your SSN to an account, they may initiate Automated Clearing House (ACH) debits or wire transfers, draining funds before the fraud is detected. Many banks have fraud detection systems analyzing transaction patterns, but unauthorized activity can still go unnoticed, especially if small amounts are withdrawn over time to avoid triggering alerts. Victims should regularly monitor bank statements and set up account alerts to catch suspicious transactions early.