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In the past we have discussed how you can create an online account with Social Security. This will give you access to your earnings record, the ability to file certain benefit claims, get statements, etc. We have also warned everyone that if they get blocked trying to create this online account that it may be due to someone else already creating the account via identity theft. While this is still a concern, we were contacted this week by a reader letting us know that there is another possible explanation for why you may get blocked during account creation.
Can’t Create a an Account
During the process of creating your online profile, the Social Security Administration verifies your identity by various methods, including matching information to your credit report. This is where the issue may arise. If you have your credit report frozen or locked the verification process from SS cannot complete and you will be denied the ability to create your online account.
How to Fix This
Our reader advised us that they were offered the following three methods to resolve the issue:
Temporarily unfreeze your credit report. This may not be a great choice if you will be charged by the credit agencies to unfreeze, and then re-freeze your account.
Go into the local SS office to complete a verification process. If you successfully complete this step, you will be given a code to use during account creation. Our reader tried this one and the local office was not able to complete the process for some reason.
Have the SSA send a letter to the address they have on file for you with the code needed to register online. This is probably the easiest and most practical option for most people.
With the popularity of people freezing their credit reports, this will become a more and more common problem as people register for online access to their Social Security account. I just wish that the SSA website would make it more obvious that this may be an issue so people know before being denied access.
I want to send a big “thank you” to our reader who shared this information with me. The credit freeze issue did not occur to me until this reader shared their story.
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