Social Security numbers, do you give them out?

[Serena]

At my store to validate your new credit card they ask for it. A lot of people hesitate and a woman tonight outright refused. I don't blame her at all, I don't think they should even be required to give it. But she said it was illegal.
Is it? Why are they asking if it is?

 

[drgnfly30]

USA PATRIOT Act requires that you provide an SSN or TIN to open an account, credit card or otherwise.

 

[ducklite]

USA PATRIOT Act requires that you provide an SSN or TIN to open an account, credit card or otherwise.

It seems that the account had already been opened, but for the first use the SS# needed to be typed into the terminal. Bad move IMHO, it forces you to give out personal info in an area where any number of people could overhear. It would seem that requiring a photo ID for first use would be a more intelligent way of handling it.

Anne

 

[jima53]

Why not validate or start the new card with the credit card call center. At least there would be a better control over who has access.


Jim

 

[golfgal]

I have been asked to validate my ID with the last 4 numbers of my SSN but not the whole thing. I don't know that I would feel comfortable giving the whole number out to a store clerk.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It is NOT illegal to ask for a SSN#....However, you are within your rights to refuse in most of the cases or you can handle it in private. I certainly may have called the call center to see what I could do.

The other day a form for my dd asked for my SSN & hers!!!! I put N/A. There is no reason for them to know my SSN.

I put my insurance info down and that is good enough.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I don't give my SSN out.

I've always heard it's illegal to ask for a SSN! Maybe it was before the Patriot Act. I don't know. I haven't been asked for a SSN in years. I had my SSN taken off of my driver's license and swithced it to a "state number". Most places accept it in lieu of a SSN. Even banks accept the state number! (But then I haven't applied for a credit card in quite awhile.) Still, I'm surprised SSNs are an issue anymore!

It was my understanding that SSNs weren't intended for id purposes.

 

[bicker]

They're not intended for ID purposes. They are, however, used to validate identification. It's like the difference between a user name and a password: The SSN is the password, not the user name, at least when it comes to most situations where it is used for something other than complying with federal income reporting requirements.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't give my SSN out.

I've always heard it's illegal to ask for a SSN!

Nope...someone asked this question last week. Here is what it says....

Some private organizations use SSN#'s for record keeping purposes. Such use is neither required nor prohibited by Federal Law. The use of your SSN by such an organization for its own records is a private matter between you and the organization.

 

[AKLRULZ]

I'm very protective of mine, it's not on my checks or my DL anymore.

 

[Mskanga]

I am famous at my doctor's office for witholding my kids SS#'s , the new people working there keep asking for them and I keep refusing to give them out. I asked them why they needed them and they said for insurance payment purposes , I said if they have paid the bills for 14 years and didn't have a problem , I do not think they will have one now. They have mine and my dh's ....that's all they need because for id purposes they have medical records numbers.

 

[Blondie]

I'm very protective of mine, it's not on my checks or my DL anymore.

Same here. I don't mind giving out the last 4 digits of my SS# for ID purposes in certain transactions, but not the entire number.

 

[kbkids]

Our church wanted my DD's number this past summer for a field trip they were going on. When questioned, they said, in case of a medical emergency. I just refused. They've got my medical insurance number, and bottom line, if there were an accident, they've got my phone, my cell, DH's cell, my mother's cell - one of us will be at the hospital!!

 

[minnieandme]

nope, I don't give mine out unless it's to verify who I am and even then it's the last 4 digits. You have to be extremely careful nowadays with all this identity theft going on. About a year or so ago, my job created employee id #'s so that we won't have to use our SSN on our timesheets anymore.

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

I have refused to put DD's on any of her school forms, or at the doctors office. It's rediculous. Identity theft is at an all time high. The Veterans Administration, who uses SS# to identify and pull patients up in the computer can no longer even ask for SS# when calling the veteran, and if the veteran calls them, can only be asked for the last four digits, and that is only to verify it is the vet calling and not someone saying they are that veteran. No one should have to give their SS# in a public setting.

 

[castleview]

I only verify the last four digits but wouldn't give it out at a store. Having said that, I don't think it's hard for someone to obtain a SSN

 

[Linda/MA]

When I was applying for a credit card at Victoria's Secret, the clerk asked me for my SSN. She gave me a piece of paper to write it on, entered the info in her computer, and when I was approved, returned the piece of paper to me. I thought that was a good way of handling it.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I worked retail over the summer and when the new credit cards started arriving (we transitioned to another store and so did the credit card accounts), people had to enter the SSN in the pin pad for the first use. We also had to enter their driver's license into the computer. Anytime we opened a new account, they had to write their SSN on the app and we had to enter it into the computer. It was all done non verbally though. We then retained that app, and were supposed to bring it to customer service. I always brought them up immediately so that it wouldn't get lost, but I know one of my co workers in particular would just leave it on the register for days until one of the managers picked it up. That always concerned me a bit. SSN's were also required when they needed their accounts looked up (left the card at home, etc), but again, they punched them in and it was done non verbally

I've been on the other side though, with my credit card at that same store. I actually had to enter my SSN the second time I used it, rather than the first time My other credit card though had me validate over the phone. I don't like it, but I know that it's required, and it's done in a manner that no one can overhear. And I KNOW, from being on the other side of the register, that if the customer enters in that information, the associate cannot see it. We were always more than willing to provide customers with paper to shield their hands as they typed in numbers too

What I hate though is our SSN is our ID number here at school. It's used constantly, and is on so many pieces of paper. I think that's what worries me the most

 

[donnajon]

When my son wanted to join the cub scouts a few years ago, they wanted his and mine. And when I questioned it, they couldn't give me a reason why they needed either one! Needless to say, they didn't get them!

 

[Lisa L from MI]

When I was applying for a credit card at Victoria's Secret, the clerk asked me for my SSN. She gave me a piece of paper to write it on, entered the info in her computer, and when I was approved, returned the piece of paper to me. I thought that was a good way of handling it.

Kohls did the same thing with the piece of paper. I usually don't carry that credit card with me and they just have you write your ss# on a piece of paper to bring up your credit card info (and they also checked ID).....

Now, if you don't have your cc card at Kohls, you just enter it in that credit card swipey thing on the counter and it brings up your account.