[TriLUG] Identity Theft (was Re: Security)

[Tanner Lovelace]

On Mon, 2002-05-20 at 12:12, rpjday wrote:

> garfinkel then presents a table showing how the usage of the SSN has
> increased over the years since then, as it slowly became required for
> 
> * IRS
> * anyone receiving or applying for federal benefits
> * AFDC
> * food stamp programs
> * school lunch programs
> * Selective Service programs
> * federal loan programs
> * proof of employment eligibility
> * commercial vehicle operator's licenses
> * birth certificates
> * Title II beneficiaries
> * National Student Loan Data System
> * jury selection

Actually, if it's any kind of government they cannot ask for
the SSN unless they quote you the law that allows them to do
so (with, of course, the exception of social security taxes).
When I got my NC license, the asked for the SSN and they had
up on the wall, the specific law that allowed them to do
so, but stated that it would *not* be put on the license itself.

Unfortunately, private enterprise isn't bound by that law and
many places won't do business with you if you refuse to give
them your ssn.  I worked out in Silicon Valley a couple of summers
ago and the apartment my friends had arranged wouldn't let
me live there unless I gave them my SSN.  I argued and fumed
with them about it until finally caving in (under extreme
protest).  They said I was the only person that had ever 
complained?!?  (Grr...)  Phone companies, however, are notorious
for wanting the SSN.  Basically, I think it's because 
credit companies tie your credit report to your SSN and
that's how people run a credit check these days. :-(

Tanner
-- 
Tanner Lovelace | lovelace at wayfarer.org | http://wtl.wayfarer.org/
--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--
GPG Fingerprint = A66C 8660 924F 5F8C 71DA  BDD0 CE09 4F8E DE76 39D4
GPG Key can be found at http://wtl.wayfarer.org/lovelace.gpg.asc
--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--
 This would be a very good time to hang out with the Open Source 
 people, before they get formally reclassified as a national security 
 threat. -- Bruce Sterling