Social Security changes numbering rules

On June 1, 2011, the Social Security Administration started issuing new numbers randomly instead of geographically. They say the new method should help to reduce identity theft.

 

Social Security will now issue numbers with a 7 or 8 in position 1. Previously, these numbers were reserved for people in the Railroad Retirement system and people from outside the country. The following rules will continue as before:

 

-No SSNs will be issued with the numbers "666" in the first or third part of the number.

-No SSNs will be issued with the number "00" in the middle.

 

-No SSNs will be issued with the number "0000" as the last section of the number.

-No SSN will be assigned with the number 123-45-6789.