Health & Fitness
Social Security Numbers and Identity Theft
As you know, I'm a big fan of Clark Howard, www.clarkhoward.com, especially because of the excellent information he is able to provide on Identity Theft.
As you know, I’m a big fan of Clark Howard, www.clarkhoward.com, especially because of the excellent information he is able to provide on Identity Theft. I would like to give him credit for most of the information in this article.
Identity Theft and your Social Security number (SSN) go hand in hand. Criminals can get your credit card numbers and charge items on your accounts. That’s easy. However, it takes your social security number in order for someone to actually commit Identity Theft (ID). ID theft occurs when a criminal obtains your personal information, including your SSN, and opens fraudulent accounts with that information. This can include credit cards and loans.
Clark’s article states that his rule on giving out his SSN is that he does not, unless it is absolutely required for what he is doing. I have to agree. Businesses ask for your SSN all of the time, but their track record on securing your SSN is usually pretty bad, depending on the industry.
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Kiplinger Magazine ran a story on the 10 worst places to give out your SSN to. Colleges and Universities topped the list. Next was the banking industry. Basically, you don’t a choice with them. They require your SSN to open accounts. Even this morning on my way to work, I heard that several of the nation’s largest banks were hit with cyber-attacks last week. According to www.nytimes.com, the cyber-attacks came from Iran.
The next group is hospitals, medical businesses, health insurers and medical offices. They always request your SSN, but Clark always leaves that space blank. According to the article, the thinking of these businesses is that if you don’t pay, they can turn you over to a collection agency. Apparently, these businesses are not known for securing your SSN that well.
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Last on the Kiplinger list is government at all levels and volunteer charity organizations. The article says that these non-profit charity organizations need to run your background, but they vary greatly on securing your SSN.
Two things recommended: Freeze your credit and watch where you list your SSN.
Good Luck.
Officer Larry Jacobs is the Crime Prevention Officer for the Sandy Springs Police Department. He can be reached at ljacobs@sandyspringsga.gov.