When not to give out your Social Security number?
by craig seeman
on
Aug 28, 2003 at 4:24:24 am
When I work with corporate clients it's of course common to fill out paperwork with SS number for tax purposes. Recently an individual asked me to email him my SS number while he ground ships me tapes and the first payment by check. With known businesses I don't have a problem doing this but the whole thing sounds a bit strange. In any case I'd NEVER send an SS number via email! I'm surprised he'd even ask. I have faxed back tax forms with SS number though.
Curious what your thoughts are on this and how I might protect myself.
Re: When not to give out your Social Security number? by Mark Suszko on Sep 4, 2003 at 8:35:57 pm
Get a federal tax ID number, it's just as good. Some states also offer an ID card that's basically the same as a state driver's license, without the driving part, and it is legal for everything you want.
SSN's were never meant to be unsecure public ID numbers, and anyone who gives it out without even questioning it is bound to become a victim of identity theft.
You might google this story, there is apparently an old SSN out there from the 1940's that lots of people who want anonymity use in an "Alan Smithee" context, and businesses seem to take it fine... I would not recommend you use it in government transactions, however.
