Rising Threat of Synthetic Identity Fraud: A New Challenge for Federal Agencies

Social Security Number Vulnerabilities

Unused or stolen Social Security numbers are a prime target for synthetic identity fraudsters. Numbers belonging to children or deceased individuals are especially valuable, as their inactivity often goes unnoticed for years. This window allows criminals to establish credit, open accounts, and commit fraud undetected. These vulnerabilities underscore the urgent need to strengthen the safeguards and monitoring of Social Security numbers nationwide.