--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Sal Sunshine <salsunshine@> > wrote: > > > > On Aug 22, 2006, at 5:45 PM, authfriend wrote: > > > > > I had to supply it to my lawyer when I purchased a > > > condo recently; the town requires it to transfer the > > > deed. And as I noted, a physician I went to for a > > > flu shot asked for it as well. It's still fairly > > > common. > > > > Only in your world, Judy. > > Uh, no, Sal. It's still fairly common, as I said > (and the AARP confirms). > > > Last time I got a flu shot I paid them 10 > > bucks and they gave me the shot. I could have been a Martian for > > all they cared. > > And that proves...what, exactly? > > My health insurance card, with TEIGIT, has my SS# > on it. I complained to them, because I can't carry > the card in my wallet. They said they were working > on a new system, but it wouldn't be ready for some > time yet. > > I had to give my SS# to open a bank account six > five years ago. You have to give it on most > credit card applications. My landlord wanted it > when I first rented the condo I just bought, also > five years ago. > > Many institutions are now moving away from using > SS#s, but that has *only* happened very recently, > since identity theft became such a big deal. > > You have to give your SS# to your employer as well, > obviously, even if you work freelance. > > > >> And identity theft is really not the issue, as Judy knows, > > >> that's just a diversionary tactic she is using--intimidation is. > > > > > > Sal, you're losing it. I never suggested the TMO > > > was collecting SS#s so it could commit identity > > > theft. How the heck did you get that idea?? > > > > Judy, you're losing it. I never suggested you suggested the TMO > > was collecting SS#s to use them for identity theft. Want to play > > telephone? > > What the hell *were* you suggesting?? "Diversionary > tactic" *from what*? You are making NO sense here. > Identity theft is a very real concern--but it didn't > *use* to be. As I said: > > > > I mentioned identity theft simply to point out that > > > before identity theft became a threat, SS#s were > > > routinely used for identification. > > > > And I tried to point out that that is b*llshit, and you know it. > > Uh, sorry, but no matter how hard you try to "point it > out," you're simply factually wrong: Before identity > theft became a threat, SS#s were routinely used for > identification. > > > You routinely buy condos? > > Did I say anything to suggest I did? > > My point was that they're *still* routinely used for > certain purposes, like property records, among other > things (again, see the AARP link I posted). > > > > What I don't get is why you think asking for your > > > SS# would be *intimidating*. What is it you would > > > be intimidated *about*? What would the implied > > > threat be? > > > > What exactly do you think they need them for, Judy? To keep all > > the people who happen to have the same names and addresses when > > applying for a course separate? > > You didn't answer my question, Sal. I don't think you > have any actual threat in mind. You just thought it > sounded good to use the word "intimidation." > > And again, see the AARP link, which explains why > SS#s are routinely used for identification. > > > > For the record, if I had to give them my SS# to > > > go on a course these days, I wouldn't do it, even > > > if it meant I couldn't go. I don't trust them to > > > keep those records secure from people who might > > > use them for identity theft. > > > > So then you *do* think they could be used for nefarious purposes-- > > Of course. But that's not why the TMO is asking for > them, obviously. > > > who else besides people in the TMO would ever have access to that > > info? > > Not everyone in the TMO is necessarily an upstanding > citizen, first of all. Some lower-level administrative > person with financial needs and no scruples might have > access to a list of SS#s and get ideas. Lists of SS#s > are worth big bucks in the identity theft market. You > can sell them to brokers, who then sell them to > individuals who commit the actual identity theft. > > Second, there are any number of ways the numbers could > get to non-TMO people. Someone could walk in a door > left unlocked and steal the records; some nitwit TMer > could throw a batch of unneeded printouts in the trash; > a janitor could find the records sitting on someone's > desk; a hacker could break into the computer system if > it weren't secured properly, etc., etc., etc. > > This is why you don't want to have to give out your > SS# if you can possibly avoid it--because they're > *worth lots of money*, and even an organization > with the most spotless motives can be careless about > how they're handled. > > Knowing the level of disorganization and general > incompetence in the TMO, I simply wouldn't trust them > to keep the numbers secure. >
Secure ha! They'll run a D&B and Eqifax on you. JohnY To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
