How To Do a Free SSN Lookup

There are now essential reasons why individuals and businesses need to find out information by doing an SSN Lookup. These reasons can and often do entail a search to verify that details submitted on a CV for a position are indeed valid. These reasons don’t have to be commercial, they can be for personal use as well.

You may probably be reading this at the moment and asking, perfectly valid questions like – If I look up John Doe’s SSN is that ethical? Is it an invasion of ‘their privacy’. Well I think the answer to these questions is two fold. Firstly ‘your details’ have been checked many times. Yes, think back when you were applying for a car loan, medical insurance – perhaps a mortgage. Do you see what I mean? Secondly do you think you would consider the ‘ethicality’ if you were looking at employing a Nanny for the kids. I’m positive, if you are like me – you would want to be ‘sure’ you were making the right decision!

Many employers commonly use Social Security Numbers to check the criminal, driving and credit records of their applicants. On the subject of credit, the SSN can help you check someone’s rating, which is often necessary if you’re a landlord or looking at employing a contractor to fit a new kitchen.

OK so now you understand the basic situation where you or an employer may require an SSN lookup – so what can you do – especially if you’re looking for free methods!

If you are an employer or a landlord and you want to find details about a person via their SSN then the first search is relatively easy and is also free! You can do this by logging on to the US Social Security website on ssa.gov/employer/ssnv.htm. This will allow the verification of up to 10 social security numbers per day! It’s amazing how few people know this site!

Further searches can be done with online services like USATrace.com this allows you to enter a persons name and SSN to find out more about them. While the initial search is free finding out more detailed information will cost a small fee.

A little aside here! Sometimes the need to find a person online is not driven by business/commercial reasons but by simply looking to trace a family member as part of a genealogy search, perhaps the lost piece in a jigsaw – a useful site for that is ancestry.com.

It is also sometimes important to check whether some SSNs are current. If you are suspicious about a social security number and are wondering if its ‘current’ there is a free website where you can search the SSN registration of deceased persons as identity fraudsters can and do assume the identity of a deceased person! The site address for this is ssdi.rootsweb.com.

For reasons of confidentiality and the prevention of identity fraud, online databases won’t be able to provide you with reverse search records capability. This is understandable and acceptable – how would you feel if anyone could search and replicate at will your SSN details?

What this means is that you may have to use a private investigator or utilise an online private investigation service if your SSN Lookup is providing no answers the ‘Free’ way. Such online providers include iinfosearch.com and civilrecords.org – at this stage you should now consider that you are now entering into the realm of ‘paid searches’ and ask yourself is that person really worth spending money to locate or will you miss out on important information that may cost you time or money in the long term?