Can you change your Social Security number? The Social Security Administration generally advises against it, as it creates confusion with tabulating and distributing benefits -- the reason the nine-digit codes were created in the first place.
But the agency will make exceptions in certain circumstances, like if you're a victim of identity theft or domestic abuse and can prove that using your existing number is causing you harm.
But changing your number doesn't automatically mean you can't be found or that a criminal can no longer steal your identity. So it's worth some serious consideration before applying.