What can you do to protect yourself from Social Security benefit theft? Back in the day, it was easier to know if your Social Security payments were stolen because benefits were sent in a physical check. These days, however, those payments are generally made by direct deposit, so unless you're manning your bank account, you may not know whether yours have gone missing.
The best way to ensure that you're not missing any of your benefits is to figure out your payment schedule and make a point of checking your account each time you expect that money. Of course, it's easier to determine when your benefits have been stolen once you're already receiving them. But what if you've yet to file a benefits claim? In that case, someone could, conceivably, file for Social Security in your name, divert your payments to an account he or she can control, and then collect those payments while you're none the wiser.
So, if you're at an age when you're eligible for benefits (meaning 62 or above) but haven't yet filed, create a Social Security account online and monitor it for activity. If you see activity you didn't initiate, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) at once by calling (800) 772-1213.
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