Do you want to know your SSS number but you have lost or forgotten it? Fortunately for you and many SSS members, there are several ways to retrieve your SSS number should you fail to save or remember it.
In the Philippines, the SSS number is a 10-digit number issued to all compulsory and voluntary members of the Social Security System (SSS). Each SSS member has their own unique SSS number and the SSS uses that number to keep records of your membership, personal information, contributions, loans and benefits, among others. With your SSS number and membership, you can apply for and avail of social security benefits in case of retirement, maternity, sickness, disability or death.
The SSS number is required when dealing with the SSS, whether in the SSS office or on their website. It is often required when applying for a new job or opening a bank account. Other government agencies may also ask for your SSS number when you transact with them. That is why it’s advisable to save, copy or remember your SSS number as you will need it for many personal and business transactions.
That said, it’s not that hard to lose or forget your SSS number. With so many usernames, passwords and numbers to remember, it’s not uncommon for most people to forget or lose track of their SSS numbers. Since the SSS number is a set of 10 random numbers, most people will understandably find it difficult to remember.
In my case, I save my government-issued numbers in Evernote which is an online note-taking app, so every time I need it, I simply open the Evernote app on my mobile phone. Although I could often remember my SSS number, I’d rather make sure that I wrote down or entered the number correctly.
Many of you may not be as meticulous, so if you have not saved your SSS number and other important membership information, now is the best time to do so. You can use Evernote just like me or a password manager such as LastPass, which also has a note-taking feature. Unlike Evernote, LastPass can also save your login credentials for all websites where you have an account, and it works in multiple devices, too.
Anyway, if you have lost or forgotten your SSS number, there are several ways to recover it. At the moment, both the SSS website and mobile app don’t have the feature to retrieve your SSS number, so you will have to recover it manually. Depending on the method of retrieval, knowing your lost or forgotten SSS number may take as short as a minute or as long as several days.
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How to Retrieve Your SSS Number
As of this writing, there are eight ways to get your SSS number if you have forgotten or lost it. It seems that the SSS Facebook page has deactivated messaging and replaced it with a “Call Now” button, so I will not include Facebook and other social media accounts.
Register or Login to My.SSS
This is the easiest and quickest way to know your SSS number online. Simply login to your SSS account on the website or mobile app and you will immediately see your SSS number.
On the My.SSS website, your SSS number is located at the upper-left portion of the page, just below your name.
On the SSS mobile app, the SSS number can be found on the upper-right corner of the screen.
If you forgot your SSS account password, you can take steps to retrieve your login credentials. Read this guide to learn how to recover your SSS password or username.
What if you don’t have a My.SSS account? You can register for your online account on the account registration page. You will be asked to provide your CRN or common reference number which can be found in your UMID card.
Check Your Old SSS ID
Perhaps you have an old SSS ID somewhere around the house. You can use that ID to get your SSS number. Unlike the Unified Multi-Purpose ID or UMID which only contains your CRN, older SSS IDs have their SSS numbers printed on the front of the card.
Find Your SSS E-1 or E-4 Form
Another way to know your SSS number is to look for your SSS E-1 Form (Personal Record) or your E-4 Form (Member Data Change Request). Chances are, you may have these forms when you first applied for membership or requested to change your SSS data records. Your SSS number can be found in the field or box called “SS Number.”
This is only applicable if you registered for SSS personally or through your employer. Most registrations and other SSS transactions are performed via the Internet nowadays, so it’s not likely that you’ll have these documents in your possession.
Ask Your Employer or HR Department
If you are (or were) employed, you can politely ask your employer or your company’s human resources department about your SSS number. Employers are required by law to remit your SSS monthly contributions, so it’s almost impossible that they don’t have a record of your SS number.
Check Your Emails and Papers
You can try checking your emails to see if your SSS number is stored in your inbox. Email programs like Gmail and Yahoo Mail have a search feature where you can type “SSS number” and then you will be shown a list of emails that contain that text string.
Gmail also has the ability to search inside attachments (such as PDF and Microsoft Word documents). To do that, type “has:attachment” followed by your keyword. For example: has:attachment SSS number. This will return a list of emails with the phrase “SSS number” inside their attachments.
You can also look for your documents and papers that may have your SSS number. Perhaps you have a resume or biodata in your computer or file cabinet that has your SSS number. Some employee ID cards may also have an SSS number.
Email the SSS
One surefire way to know your SSS number is to send an email to [email protected]. Here’s an email template that you can use:
Hello SSS,
I would like to request for my SSS number because I have lost my record of it. Here is my membership information for your verification:
Name: Juan dela Cruz
Date of Birth: January 1, 2000
Address: Maria Clara Street, Tondo, Manila
Mobile Number: 09123456789
I have attached a photo of my valid ID as proof of my identity. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you.
Don’t forget to change the personal information with your own, and attach a photo or scanned copy of your valid ID. Write down “SSS Number Verification” as the subject and send it to [email protected].
Based on my experience, you will receive a response within 48 hours (2 days). SSS may ask for additional information to verify your identity, so please be patient.
Call the SSS
If your request is urgent, you can call SSS instead of emailing them. Prepare a ballpen and a piece of paper and call any of the following numbers:
- Trunkline Number: (632) 8 920-6401
- Call Center Numbers: 8 920-6446 to 55
- Toll-Free Number: 1-800-10-2255777 (1-800-10-CALLSSS)
If you’re calling from your cellphone, include the area code 2 before the 8-digit number. For example: 28920-6466.
SSS hotlines are available from Monday to Saturday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and closed on Sunday and holidays.
Visit the SSS Branch Near You
If all else fails, you can just visit the SSS branch during office hours from Monday to Friday, except on public holidays. Bring along a valid ID. A list of SSS branches can be found on this page.
If you personally know an SSS employee, then you can just ask him for your SSS number. This will save you the time and effort in going to an SSS office. Most SSS employees are helpful and will entertain simple requests like recovering your SS number and changing your account password.
Final Words
Don’t worry if you lose or forget your SSS number, because there are several ways to recover it without visiting the SSS office. And if you can’t retrieve your social security number online, you can always go to the SSS branch near you and get your SSS number from their friendly and accommodating staff. If there’s a will, there’s a way!
