Logging into Social Security Site - ID.Me middle name, suffix issues

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Doc7
Posts: 1122
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:55 pm

Logging into Social Security Site - ID.Me middle name, suffix issues

Post by Doc7 »

I have tried to log on at various times over the last 6 months (I am 37 but interested in seeing what info I can look up for future retirement income and also understand that establishing this log on will assist with ID Theft prevention).

I have previously created an ID.ME account in order to log onto the IRS Website. This included having to take various "selfie" photos at various angles, uploading several forms of ID, etc. However, when logging onto SSA I am always getting an error that it could not verify my info even though I am logging in via ID.me. So finally today I sucked it up and waited on hold for over 2 hours and spoke to a person at SSA.

They said they can see the error and it involves name matching.

I have a Middle name and I have a suffix "II". My social security card however has only a middle initial, and the II. It does not have my full middle name. The SS Rep stated that because my Driver License has my full middle name it is causing the error and I cannot log into to SSA.Gov until I get a new driver license with a middle initial and no middle name.

This would be easy enough but I am concerned because on my ID.ME account I only see Firstname Lastname ... no middle, no II. And on my Equifax Credit report (which she also mentioned as an identity check they bounce off of at SSA), same thing - Firstname Lastname. But my credit history in all locations is clearly not mixed up with that of my father's.

Because the rep seemed to "think" but not be sure that my Driver License was causing the issue, I don't want to have to go through 3 driver licenses in the next couple of months i attempt to reconcile stuff simply to log onto the SSA site.

Anyone experienced anything like this before and have any suggestions on proceeding?


Is anyone willing to share the following - "Does your ID.ME account show a middle name / initial / suffix, or only Firstname Lastname like mine?" "Does your equifax credit report only show Firstname Lastname like mine?" that would help me understand if i need to go through these vendors to fix things on their end.
jebmke
Posts: 25475
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:44 pm
Location: Delmarva Peninsula

Re: Logging into Social Security Site - ID.Me middle name, suffix issues

Post by jebmke »

if you have a SS office within reach, the easiest fix might be to go in and have them verify your identity and activate your account. I had to do this with Medicare because of our credit freezes.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
Topic Author
Doc7
Posts: 1122
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:55 pm

Re: Logging into Social Security Site - ID.Me middle name, suffix issues

Post by Doc7 »

jebmke wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 10:18 am if you have a SS office within reach, the easiest fix might be to go in and have them verify your identity and activate your account. I had to do this with Medicare because of our credit freezes.

Thanks for this idea. There is one only a few miles from me. I can’t visit during open hours for the next 2 weeks, but later this month swinging by there sounds far easier than trying to modify either my DL, ID.me, and Equifax! There is no downside anyway.
homesleym
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:36 am

Re: Logging into Social Security Site - ID.Me middle name, suffix issues

Post by homesleym »

I ran into this when applying for Medicare. My birth certificate was John Robert Smith but I had been known as Robert John Smith since the first grade. DL, first SS card, everything was Robert John. Easiest thing was to change my SS "name" to match the birth certificate for Medicare. I will have to change some more docs to get a ID.me or a new passport as everything has to match. PITA.
Kruser64
Posts: 143
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:41 pm

Re: Logging into Social Security Site - ID.Me middle name, suffix issues

Post by Kruser64 »

My son got booted out of the Real ID compliant license process over no middle name on passport. Lesson learned - firstname middlename lastname on EVERYTHING going forward. Give the bureaucracies no excuses!
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