Confused about assigned SSN

[susysteele 9]

My wife (then fiancee) applied for her SSN back in February. We received the number and then married. We filed for AOS in mid-March and are still waiting for GC/EAD/AP.

Her SSN starts with 004-xx-xxxx.

Yesterday, my sister, who is an accountant was asking if my wife had her SSN and I said yes. She asked which digits it started with. I told her 004. She said that wasn't a SSN, it was an ITIN. I said we had applied at the SSA for the number, and I understood that ITINs were issued by the IRS. I let the matter drop.

Today, my brain has been going crazy wondering if what she said is true. I looked on the Social Security Administration Website and it appear that 004 is indeed a SSN and that ITINs are only in the 900-999 range.

However I found something else interesting, on both the SSA website and other websites, that implies that a SSN starting with 004 would have been issued in Maine. We live in Washington State and the assigned numbers for that state begin with 531-539.

I guess my question is....should I worry that 004 is listed on the SSA website as a Maine number....does it matter?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

They recently changed it so I think your sister has outdated information. The prefix used to be assigned by state, but now it is entirely randomized, and new numbers are being freed up that were previously allocated for other things.

If you applied at the SSA for a SSN, and it came on a SSN card, then you got a SSN.

There was a press release about it, might be findable if you used advanced search here or just plain of google. Good luck.

[susysteele 9]

Fantastic....that's what I needed to hear. I appreciate your help.

[pepper44 18]

It does not matter where a SSN is issued if you were not actually born in that state. You also have to realize there are only so many numbers out there to be issued.. Imagine how many american's there.

If you are worried that it is not a valid ssn then go to SSNvalidator.com and type in the social it will tell you when and where it was issued allowing you to see it is actually a valid ssn.

As for the WA state numbers you are correct I was born in WA state and mine starts between those digits. Again I don't think it really matter where the SSN was issued. I think they chose a number that was available since your better half was not born here in the states it should be fine.

[susysteele 9]

Thank you as well. I'll look at the Validator website. This is why I love VJ....very helpful members.