SSN Verification is an optional enhancement to Payscore’s Identity Verification that provides an additional layer of identity assurance for U.S. applicants.
When enabled, SSN Verification collects and validates SSN or ITIN and date of birth against authoritative government databases to help confirm an applicant’s identity.
What information is collected
If SSN Verification is enabled by the customer, applicants are prompted to enter:
SSN or ITIN
Date of Birth
Applicants are also asked to provide consent before this information is verified, as required by government agencies.
What SSN and ITIN mean
SSN (Social Security Number)
Issued by the Social Security Administration to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain non-residents with work authorization. SSNs can be used for identity and credit-related verification.
ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
Issued by the IRS for tax reporting purposes. ITINs are accepted and processed for SSN Verification in the same way as SSNs.
Note: Some Social Security numbers are issued for work purposes only and cannot be used for credit granting. These may result in a failed verification depending on the data returned.
How SSN Verification works
1. Applicant consent and data entry
The applicant is first asked to consent to SSN verification. Once consent is provided, the applicant enters their SSN or ITIN and date of birth.
2. Government database checks
Payscore securely checks the information against:
IRS records to confirm name and taxpayer ID match
Social Security Administration records to confirm name match or identify deceased records
3. Verification outcomes
✅ Match found
Identity verification is successful.
❌ No match or deceased record
Identity verification fails.
⚠️ No SSN or ITIN provided
Applicants without an SSN or ITIN are instructed to enter 000-00-0000.
This intentionally results in a failed verification while allowing the process to complete for tracking and review.
What happens next
After SSN Verification:
Applicants continue to the government-issued ID verification step
SSN Verification supplements Identity Verification—it does not replace it
Special cases
No SSN or ITIN available
Applicants can proceed by entering 000-00-0000
The verification will fail as expected
This signals missing identity information while allowing the workflow to complete
Using an ITIN
ITINs are accepted and processed the same way as SSNs
Matching is performed using available government records
Privacy and data security
SSN Verification is only enabled when explicitly turned on by the customer
Sensitive information is handled securely and in accordance with applicable privacy standards
Payscore does not collect SSNs or ITINs unless this feature is enabled