Do Social Security cards contain a secret contract concealed in the fine print of the signature line? No, that's not true: The signature line on a Social Security card is a line of intaglio microtext which spells out the words "Social Security Administration". This is one of many anti-counterfeiting features included on the banknote paper of the Social Security card -- it is not a contract.
The false claim appeared in a post (archived here) published by @JOKAQARMY1 on Nov. 12, 2025. It was captioned:
They hid your contract in plain sight 🤔.
Pictured below is a screenshot of the 24-second video in the post:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot from x.com/JOKAQARMY1/status/1988659113740628160.)
At 19 seconds in the video, the camera zoomed in on the signature line (pictured below). It is apparent that the blue line is actually made of tiny, closely-spaced text. It reads "SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION" over and over.
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot from x.com/JOKAQARMY1/status/1988659113740628160.)
The SSN (Social Security number) Card was first introduced in 1936, since then the design of the card has been revised 36 times. The list of the specific revisions can be found on this archived history page at ssa.gov. Previous versions of SSN cards do not become invalid when a new version is issued, there is no need to replace or update old cards. Since 1983 SSN cards have included anti-counterfeiting security features. Some of these security features are not publicized.
A current page of the "Program Operations Manual System" (POMS) on ssa.gov (archived here) went into effect "09/30/2020 - Present". Ten security features which have been incorporated into cards since 1983 are listed. The sixth item mentions the intaglio microtext of the signature line. Intaglio is a printing process which results in the printed letters being raised or embossed -- this is both a visual and tactile security feature. From the program operations document:
One or more of the following security features appear on SSN cards issued since 10/31/1983:
Tamper-proof background
Color-shifting ink
Intaglio printing in some areas on the front of the card
Latent image on the face of the card visible only when viewed at specific angles
Red fluorescent nine-digit alphanumeric number on back (beginning February 1996)
Intaglio microtext in signature line (when magnified, the line is actually letters spelling out SOCIAL SECURITY)
Yellow, pink, and blue planchettes (small discs) randomly displayed on the front and back of the card
Anti-copy pattern that is discernable when the card is photocopied
For original cards, a dash in each column on the same line as the SSN
Date the card is issued [i.e., Cycle Date (CYD) from the Numident] is printed under the signature line on the face of the card (beginning April 2007).
