Resale Closing--Do they need SSN?

[danv3]

I know this has been discussed before, but I can't seem to find the thread...

Anyway, got our closing docs today and the instructions ask us to list our SSNs next to our signatures. We're not financing, so it seems to me that they don't really need the numbers for anything.

I'm going to call the closing agent tomorrow to check, but I figured I'd ask the experts first.

 

[Tina]

I would imagine its for tax purposes.

 

[Ella's Mom]

We just closed today, and we had to give our social security numbers also. In the email that I received from TSS, it says that we can call MS and make our first reservation, and we have to use our social security number for verification. Let us know if you find something else out.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

The Patriot Act... Requires it. I think.

 

[gatordoc]

I've bought both resale and add-on direct from Disney, and refused to give them my SSN either time. There's no good reason for them to have it, and the less places that have it, the better as far as I'm concerned. MS simply asks you for different information to identify yourself when you call to book. It just occurred to me that they might need it if you're financing the purchase, though.

 

[LisaS]

I think the closing companies use a standard form that asks for your SSN. I refused to provide it and it was not a problem. If you provide your SSN, MS will ask for the last 4 digits to confirm your identity when you call. If you do not provide your SSN, you can set up a password of your own choosing to serve the same purpose.

 

[starwood]

When you call MS to make reservations they always ask for the last 4 digits of your social to confirm you are who you say you are.

 

[danv3]

Update:

Both Jaki and the closing agent confirmed that you do not have to supply a social security number. As a couple of posters have noted, DVC uses it for identification, but it is not required.

 

[Muushka]

This comes up every 6 months and some people say you have to give it and others (like me) are living proof that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE YOUR SSN. (We did not finance, I have no idea for those that finance)

Every time I go to the doc office (a new one) they ask for it. I do not fill it in and they never say anything. If the grocery store asked everyone for it when they filled out one of those courtesy card thingies, would you give it to them? Just because someone asks you for it does not mean that you have to give it to them.

OK, off my soap box now. I had my identity stolen once, this is a sore spot with me.

 

[Doctor P]

This comes up every 6 months and some people say you have to give it and others (like me) are living proof that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE YOUR SSN. (We did not finance, I have no idea for those that finance)

Every time I go to the doc office (a new one) they ask for it. I do not fill it in and they never say anything. If the grocery store asked everyone for it when they filled out one of those courtesy card thingies, would you give it to them? Just because someone asks you for it does not mean that you have to give it to them.

OK, off my soap box now. I had my identity stolen once, this is a sore spot with me.

Sorry, but the examples you have given are NOT germane to the situation being discussed. I am actually shocked that people are getting away with doing a large real estate transaction without giving their SSN (or, alternatively, their Taxpayer ID). Provisions of the Patriot Act and RICO, not to mention the IRS code would suggest that some form of government issued identification with a method by which identity could be confirmed should be required in such a transaction. I understand the concerns about identity theft, etc., but having worked on the other side of the market as the chair of the board of a financial institution I can tell you that there are legitimate regulatory reasons for requiring this information in many of these circumstances. And, BTW, the issue is actually somewhat more important for RICO-related statutes in transactions that are NOT financed.

 

[Muushka]

Sorry, but the examples you have given are NOT germane to the situation being discussed. I am actually shocked that people are getting away with doing a large real estate transaction without giving their SSN (or, alternatively, their Taxpayer ID). Provisions of the Patriot Act and RICO, not to mention the IRS code would suggest that some form of government issued identification with a method by which identity could be confirmed should be required in such a transaction. I understand the concerns about identity theft, etc., but having worked on the other side of the market as the chair of the board of a financial institution I can tell you that there are legitimate regulatory reasons for requiring this information in many of these circumstances. And, BTW, the issue is actually somewhat more important for RICO-related statutes in transactions that are NOT financed.

Well, they do not have my SSN or a lot of other people's, so evidently someone is not following the rules. If they told me I HAD to give them my SSN for a legitimate regulatory reason, I would give it to them.

I gave the other examples to give examples of places that ask for your SSN who do not actually need it, but in reality they need a unique identifier.

Perhaps you should write to DVC and inquire about why they need to be getting SSN from their members.

 

[Cajun28]

What we did on our paperwork was to give the last four digits of our SSN's in this format XXX-XX-1234(where 1234 was the actual digits of our SSN), so they would have enough info to identify us when we call MS, but not have our entire SSN.