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Your Social Security number is one of the most sensitive pieces of personal information you own. Too bad yours (and mine and every other Americans’) has likely been leaked and sold on the Dark Web. Before you panic, there are a few steps you can take right now to protect yourself and your identity. TURN YOURSELF INTO A GOOGLE WORKSPACE AND MICROSOFT OFFICE PRO I’m giving away an iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence.  No purchase necessary; enter now! Is it really that big a deal? It sure is. Your Social Security number is the key to the castle. It’s the unique identifier that connects your financial, government and personal records. With your SSN, criminals can open credit card accounts, apply for loans, hijack your tax refunds, use your government benefits or even apply for jobs. There’s an easy step you can take. In this photo illustration, a Social Security card sits alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury on October 14, 2021, in Washington, DC.  (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Image...

With most of your life attached to these nine numbers, your Social Security number (SSN) is incredibly important to keep safe. That’s why it is crucial to pay attention to signs that your SSN may have been compromised. While preventing the misuse of your SSN is paramount, there are action steps you can take if it does fall into the wrong hands. I’M GIVING AWAY A $500 GIFT CARD FOR THE HOLIDAYS Enter the giveaway by signing up for my free newsletter. There are steps you can take if your Social Security number falls into the wrong hands. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson) Top signs someone might be using your Social Security number Are you concerned that your Social Security number may have gotten into the wrong hands? Check below to see if you are experiencing any of these signs: 1) Changes to your credit report and score Americans are granted free credit reports every 12 months from the three major consumer reporting companies. Regularly culling through these reports can hel...