A question about SS Card #s

Back in the 80s, when I was around 15. I started to think about getting a job. So, at the time, I didn't have a Social Security number, not like today, when my daughter was born, she was issued a SS # right away.

So, I fill out the paperwork and a few weeks later I get my card in the mail. Well, me being a dumb kid, I lose the card about a month later. I never find it.

So at around age 16, I got into some trouble and I was arrested for shoplifting. My dad was pissed. He made me go find a job as punishment for the summer.

I don't have a SS card, because I lost it. So, I go down to get it replaced. I told the teller that I had lost it, and she just asked me questions and I may have signed some paperwork, it's been 30 years. It's kind of hard to remember details.

About 2 weeks later I received my new SS card.

With a totally different SS#. Another thing that is different is that my name is spelled with my nickname. It's not my legal name.

I must have filled out my paperwork with my nickname out of habit.

For example..let's say my name legally, by birth is Roberto Napoleon Smith. That's the name that was on my original SS card. But since i probably said or filled out as Bobby Napoleon Smith, I now have a new number.

My question is, is my original SS Card still valid? And I thought we were assigned only one #?

Anyone else have a similar story?

a reply to: galaga

No it wouldnt be valid. The same # and nickname would stay the same...but the date oi issue...in this case..the date it was RE-issued to you...would validate you as the legal holder.

And if you file for your original name now...you should get the same or different original #...but it will be the DATE now...you applied for it...that would verify this one is you.

Both are valid and it is not illegal to have two numbers as long as you are paying taxes and not using them to break any law. If it were me, I would file for a duplicate of the first number and get as many IDs as possible. Don't use them. Put them away until you need them. It's not illegal for Roberto to have several IDs, just do not use them for criminal acts.

a reply to: galaga

I wish I was at a keyboard instead of a phone so I could write more... but contrary to what has been put forward thus far.... This may be a VERY big deal.

While I haven't had any specific SS issues, over the past three months my wife and I have been working towards closing on our first house and they have been looking into EVERYTHING. It's only because we are sticklers for paperwork that we had some documents about an apartment we'd rented 15 years ago, for example.

When you go to purchase a home, this may be a huge deal. When you go to apply for a loan to open a business, this may be a big deal. God forbid if you don't take care of this and you retire and want SS to be a part of your retirement puzzle and some questions come up, this could be a heart attack maker.

It's possible your nickname SS card is another person's formal legal name and you're using their identity.

Wish I was at a keyboard but I can only suggest you take care of this NOW. It might be a headache but I promise you if you don't take care of it now it wi be exponentially worse later.

Also, if you are using one of the two numbers, is someone else using the other one which may reflect on you later?

Seriously, this is a big giant deal. Please take care of it or at least start the process tomorrow.

I had to get a replacement card at about age 15 and it came back with two numbers transposed. Being 15 I did not care as long as I could get my little jobby job. Since then I have had children, bought and sold homes and cars, joined the army, spent time in prison, married twice, divorced once, paid and paid and pay- taxes, 401k, all that groovey stuff. Now I'm retired and have a pension and all those gubment benefits I paid in for all of those years. I also found my first SS card when I got back from the service. I promptly went down to the SS office to make sure I was not in trouble. I was told exactly what I said in my first post. Both are valid and as long as I was paying my taxes all is well.
Maybe you should request a new card with the original name then once you have it, go down and ask if there is a problem.
Having "secondary ID" may not be important to you but if you have ever needed it.......you know what I'm talking about.

a reply to: ezramullins

This exact thing happened to me. Except I was told the man who had the transposed number died so I can just keep it. I certainly know my number now.