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On Oct. 7, President Donald Trump signed a law that makes the Social Security Administration give identity-theft victims one person to work with, instead of a maze of offices and phone lines. (1)
It’s called the Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act. If your card is lost or your number is misused, you get a single point of contact who’s available “throughout the resolution of the individual’s case.” (2)
Good. I’ve been a CPA since 1981, and here’s my take on the new law: it helps you clean up after the damage. It doesn’t, however, prevent the damage.
And the damage is common. Of the 3,158 data breaches reported in 2024, more than 1,800 included Social Security numbers, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. (3)
FedScoop, citing Federal Trade Commission figures, reports 1.36 million identity theft reports in 2025, up nearly 20% from the year before. (2)
The committee also described what victims have been up against: “Victims report they are often provided conflicting information and advice.” (3)
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., said, “Americans recovering from identity theft should not have to fight through layers of red tape to receive help.” (2) I agree.
But you’d rather never need that help at all. Here are 5 things this law won’t do for you, and what to do instead.
1. It won’t stop a thief from filing a tax return in your name
Someone who has your Social Security number can file a fake return and grab a refund before you file. The fix is free.
It’s an identity protection PIN from the IRS. “An identity protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return,” the IRS says. (4) Anyone with a Social Security number who can verify their identity can get one.
The fastest way is through your online IRS account. The PIN is good for one calendar year, and a new one is generated each year. (4) As a CPA, I’d put this at the top of the list.
2. It won’t stop someone from opening credit in your name
The new law deals with your Social Security record. It doesn’t touch your credit report, which is where a thief opens new cards and loans.
That’s what a credit freeze is for. “While a credit freeze is in place, nobody can open a new credit account in your name, including you,” the FTC says. (5) It’s free to place or lift, and it doesn’t affect your credit score.
You have to contact all three bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. (5)
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3. It won’t lock your Social Security record
If you know your number has been compromised, the Social Security Administration lets you request what it calls Block Electronic Access. (6)
Once you do, “any automated telephone and electronic access to your Social Security record is blocked,” according to the agency. (6) You request it by calling Social Security’s toll-free number, and you’ll have to prove your identity to remove the block later.
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4. It won’t tell you where to start
The single point of contact only helps with problems at Social Security. Identity theft can spread further: credit cards, bank accounts, tax refunds.
Start at IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC’s site, which lets you report identity theft and get a recovery plan. (7) Then, if the theft involves your Social Security card or record, contact Social Security and ask for the point of contact the new law created.
Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., summed up the old system: “Cleaning up that mess should not require a call center scavenger hunt or being bounced from one Social Security official to the next.” (2)
5. It won’t make the fix instant
The law directs the Social Security commissioner to set up protocols for these cases. (2) My read: new procedures at a big agency take time to reach the front line, so don’t assume your local office is ready the day you call.
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My honest take
This is a rare law that everyone should like. One person who owns your case beats calling a different stranger every time.
But a single point of contact is a cleanup crew. The cheaper move is to make your number less useful to a thief right now: get an IP PIN, freeze your credit, and know how to lock your Social Security record if you ever need to.
The best identity-theft help line is the one you never have to call.
Sources: 1. The White House; 2. FedScoop; 3. House Ways and Means Committee; 4. IRS; 5. Federal Trade Commission; 6. Social Security Administration; 7. IdentityTheft.gov
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