Summarize the following:
Treat your Social Security card with as much respect and care as your birth certificate, tax records, and other confidential documents. Unless you're required to show it, keep the original card locked in a safe at home. If a professional entity requests the card, see if you can bring a photocopy instead to avoid losing the original. To defend against fires, floods, and other disasters, keep your card in a weatherproofed container. In most cases, entities requesting your SSN will not need the actual card, just the number. The safest way to relay the number is by committing it to memory, that way nobody can steal the original paperwork from your wallet, purse, or briefcase. To help you memorize your SSN, try reading it aloud or writing it down multiple times. Test yourself daily until you can recall it without a visual aid. When getting rid of confidential documents, make sure to run them through a cross-cut or confetti shredder. This is especially important for documents that list your Social Security number, like financial statements. For extra security, try burning your documents in a fireplace or pit. Some public and private organizations require your Social Security number to function properly. Most, however, have no use for it. Before giving your number to an organization, ask what they intend to use it for. When in doubt, only give your SSN to entities like your employer, the IRS, and banks. If an institution has a spot on their forms for your SSN, check to see if it's required or optional. Many places, like doctor's offices, collect the info but don't actually need it. At some point, everyone gets targeted by e-mails or phone calls requesting private information. Unless you explicitly requested an e-mail or phone call from the person in question, do not give them your SSN or other identifying information. Never click on links or download attachments from phishing e-mails, as they often contain malicious software that will harm your computer or steal your information. Look for signs that an e-mail is a scam, like a suspicious e-mail address or bad grammar. Look for signs that a phone call is a scam, like suspicious reward offers or a reluctance to describe the reason for calling.
Lock your Social Security card in a safe. Memorize your SSN so you don't have to reference your card. Shred used documents that list your SSN. Ask why an organization needs your SSN before giving it to them. Look out for phishing e-mails and scam callers.