What Is a Credit Privacy Number (CPN)?

What Is a CPN?

A CPN is a nine-digit number that's formatted just like a Social Security number. It may also be called a credit profile number or credit protection number. CPNs are not issued by the Social Security Administration or recognized as legitimate by any government agency. In many cases, they are actually stolen SSNs.

Companies that sell CPNs to consumers claim you can use them to hide a bad credit history or bankruptcy, or that you can use a CPN instead of your SSN to apply for credit under a new credit identity. CPNs may also be marketed as an alternative to your SSN that you can use to protect your privacy.

Why a CPN Is a Scam

CPNs are often SSNs that scam artists have stolen, typically from children, people who are incarcerated or senior citizens. CPNs may also be randomly generated numbers. Companies that sell CPNs often market them as replacements for your SSN. Because it is formatted the same, a CPN may at first glance appear to be a legitimate substitute for an SSN—but it isn't.

Is a CPN Illegal?

Using a CPN may be considered identity theft, which is a federal crime that can be punishable by prison and fines. Making false statements (including misrepresenting your SSN) on an application for credit or another financial product is also a federal crime. This is true even if the CPN is randomly generated and is not a stolen SSN. States also have their own identity theft laws that could subject you to additional criminal penalties for using a CPN.

Learn more: What Happens if You Lie on a Loan Application?

How to Spot CPN Scams

CPNs are often sold by companies that offer to repair your credit. While some credit repair companies are legitimate, others are operated by scammers. Here are some red flags that a company is running a CPN scam.

• Requiring payment: The government issues SSNs for free, but scam companies will charge you money for a CPN—sometimes thousands of dollars.
• Encouraging you to lie: Scammers may tell you to provide false information—such as a different address, phone number or email address—when you fill out credit applications using your new CPN. They may claim this is a way to protect your identity, but they're really directing you to create a false identity, which is illegal.
• Promising quick fixes or guaranteed results: Companies may claim they can improve your credit score within a certain time frame or by a certain number of points. In reality, it's impossible to know how fast or by how many points your credit score may improve.
• Pressure to buy quickly: High-pressure sales tactics are a common sign of a scam. Legitimate companies give you time to consider a purchase.

How Are CPNs Different From ITINs and Social Security Numbers?

CPNs are nine-digit numbers that look like SSNs and Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) but are not issued by the government or recognized as legitimate by any government agency.

The IRS uses taxpayer identification numbers in administering tax laws. SSNs and ITINs are two kinds of taxpayer ID numbers for individuals.

• SSNs are issued by the Social Security Administration and are what most people use when filing taxes.
• ITINs are issued by the IRS in special circumstances for some non-resident and resident aliens, their spouses and dependents who can't get SSNs. An ITIN is formatted like an SSN, with nine digits and dashes, except that ITINs always begin with the number nine.

Financial services companies may use SSNs and, less frequently, ITINs for identification purposes when you apply for a bank account, loan, credit card or other financial product.

Can You Get a New SSN?

The Social Security Administration may give you a new SSN only in certain circumstances, including:

• More than one person is assigned or is using the same SSN
• Sequential SSNs assigned to members of the same family are causing problems
• A victim of identity theft is having ongoing problems due to using their original SSN
• Someone is being harassed, abused or their life is in danger
• You have documented religious or cultural objections to numbers or digits in your original SSN

Even in these cases, obtaining a new SSN isn't easy. You'll have to demonstrate a legitimate need for the change by providing all the documentation the Social Security Administration requests. You may also have to get others (like the police or your church or temple) to provide documentation supporting your request.

What's more, getting a new SSN doesn't wipe out the old one. In order to give you credit for all your earnings and ensure you get the correct Social Security payments when you retire, the Social Security Administration will cross-reference your new SSN with your original SSN. Even if you receive a new SSN, you and your original SSN are permanently linked.

How to Rebuild Your Credit the Right Way

Instead of buying a CPN, you can repair your credit yourself by following these steps:

• Pay your bills on time. Your payment history is the single biggest factor in your credit score. Even if you can only make minimum payments, paying on time will help. Set reminders for yourself or set up autopay on your accounts to avoid missing due dates. If all your bills are due around the same time and it's hard to cover them all at once, contact the creditor to see if you can change your due date.
• Reduce your credit utilization ratio. Your credit utilization ratio reflects how much of your available credit you're using. A lower credit utilization ratio is better; people with the best credit scores generally have utilization rates under 10%.
• Avoid multiple applications for new credit. Whenever you apply for a loan, credit card or other type of revolving credit, the lender checks your credit file. This is known as a hard inquiry on your credit report and can cause a small dip in your credit score. Although the dip usually lasts only a few months, applying for several credit cards or loans at once may suggest to credit scoring models such as FICO that you're having financial difficulties, which can damage your credit score.
• Don't close old credit accounts. Closing your account after paying off a credit card may seem like a good way to remove temptation. However, it also reduces your total available credit and decreases the average age of your accounts, both of which can hurt your credit score. Keep older accounts open, even if you don't plan to use them.
• Try Experian Boost^®ø. Experian Boost is a free feature that adds your eligible on-time utility, phone, streaming, rent and insurance payments to your Experian credit report, which could help improve your credit scores.

Learn more: How Long Does It Take to Repair Your Credit?

The Bottom Line

Poor credit can keep you from reaching your financial goals, but buying a CPN isn't a legitimate solution. Instead, work on repairing your credit yourself. You can start by checking your credit report and credit score for free with Experian. You'll be able to see what's impacting your credit score and what you can do to improve it. Improving your credit score takes time and patience, but the positive results are worth the effort.