Today I ordered 4 utilities without giving my SSN to any of them, and the last 1 of the 4 was AT&T. I asked nicely to not give it. When the CSR ask for my SSN I said "gosh, I really don' t like giving out my SSN, is there a way I can get your product (the specific gas, electricity, tele. service) without giving my SSN." The gas and electricity will do a deposit - spread out over 4 months and after 9 months of consecutive payments I get my deposit back. When I asked AT&T I got the following "We need it in case you don't pay and we need to find you, and you need it to give your SSN to get any utility." I countered with 'I've just got water, electricity and gas TODAY without giving my SSN.' The CSR relented and then asked for my birth date. I got a local service land line from AT&T without giving my SSN.

The takeaway: if you're willing to leave a security deposit, some companies may accept that instead of your SSN. And it never hurts to ask—if the CSR won't budge, you might try calling back at another time to see if you find someone who's more willing work with you.

(Thanks to Jess!)
(Photo: Beige Alert)

You might have a harder time finding kosher meat in the coming weeks, because the country's largest kosher meat packing plant, Agriprocessors, was raided this past Monday. At least 300 of its nearly 1000 employees were arrested for using fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers, and immigration officials have said they expect the number to go as high as 700.

Agriprocessors is located in Postville, Iowa, which might seem like an odd place for the nation's largest kosher meat packing plant:

About 200 Hasidic Jews arrived in Postville in 1987, when butcher Aaron Rubashkin of Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood reopened a defunct meatpacking plant with his two sons, Sholom and Heshy, just outside the city limits. Business boomed at the plant, reviving the depressed economy while pitting the newcomers against the predominantly Lutheran community.

"Iowa meatpacking plant raided in ID theft investigation" [USA Today]

RELATED
"Immigration Authorities Arrest Hundreds in Raid on Nation’s Largest Kosher Meat Plant" [Forward]
(Photo: Getty Images)

Thirty-nine businesses or groups have reported losses of sensitive information involving about 87,500 Maryland residents in the three months since a state law took effect requiring that people be informed of such incidents, records show.

The breaches have included everything from SSNs showing through envelope windows to deliberate attacks on databases by hackers. Luckily for Maryland residents, a state law ensures that you can place credit freezes with each of the three major reporting companies for $5 each.

Not a Marylander? Check this interactive map for a quick overview of what your state enforces by way of disclosure laws in the event your data is compromised.

"No sure bets in personal data security" [Baltimore Sun]

RELATED
"CareFirst Dental HMO Exposes SSNs, Says You Should "Take It Seriously""
CSO Maps State By State Data Breach Disclosure Laws

Companies, is it really that expensive to offer 5 years, or 10 years, of credit monitoring to victims of your data security incompetence? Seriously, own up to your responsibility in exposing people to the risk of financial and credit problems and give them the tools they need to protect themselves. After all, it's your fault.

The Baltimore Sun, which first reported the breach, pushed The Dental Network for a reason why it took them three weeks to notify their members:

The company also created a Web site and phone line for members to learn more about the breach, which details the credit protections.

On the Web site, the company posted a list of frequently asked questions, including one about the delayed notification.

"Action was taken immediately and your personal data was secured within minutes of our learning of this accidental exposure," the response states. "With any such event, it takes time to gather the relevant information, identify the affected individuals, hold the necessary internal discussions, make the appropriate decisions and line up the assistance services that are being offered."

We searched their amateurish website (it explains a lot about the breach and the slow response) and can't find any mention of this special website or press release. If anyone has more information on either one, please send us a link or post it in the comments below.

Update: Here's the website for victims of the security breach: lds.thedentalnet.org (Thanks to the author of the original article, Liz F. Kay!)

"Patient data exposed online" [Baltimore Sun] (Thanks to Nick!)

According to the article, Richardson is likely in violation of a state law that prohibits unfair sales practices, as well as state laws "prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race or national origin in places of public accommodation." Even the group that Richardson claims membership in—Rhode Islanders for Immigration Law Enforcement (RIILE)—is trying to distance itself from Richardson:

"There's no way I can defend what he did. It definitely isn't the policy of RIILE to go around and use your RIILE card to intimidate people," said Gorman in a phone interview. "That's not something that RIILE would promote ... to make citizen's arrest."

Genao said he is still upset over the encounter, which he called "loud in tone." Richardson called it "a discussion."

"I told [Richardson] I'm a U.S. citizen by choice, whereas he was just born here," said Genao. "I have every right to be here. I told him his behavior was shameful. And he went on to say that a lot of these illegal immigrants are criminals and we have to stop them, and he said he did this for his country — because it's going downhill, because of all these illegal immigrants.

"What [Richardson] should have done was say, 'Thank you for shopping with me.' That's all he had to do."

(Thanks to ElizabethD!)

"Store owner asks to see shoppers' Social Security cards" [The Providence Journal]

(Photo: Getty)

I have a friend that moved to NYC a little while ago from Iowa. She hadn't switched to a NYS Photo ID yet, as she isn't sure if this is going to be a permanent move, so she has been using her Iowa State Photo ID (non-Driver's License, which is important as you'll see) around town.

Yesterday morning, she left her wallet in a taxi in midtown, and didn't realize until it was too late to get the medallion number. In her wallet was her Iowa ID, a college photo ID, and her social security card (yes, she knows it's not a good idea to carry it on her at all times, especially now).

So basically she is without ID right now. We're supposed to be flying out of town next Wednesday, but obviously she won't be able to board a plane without ID. The lovely folks at the Iowa Department of Transportation - Motor Vehicle Divisionhave informed her that they cannot issue a replacement ID for non-Driver's Licenses without her going to Iowa, in person, to request one. Were it a Driver's License, they'd send out a temporary one until a new Photo Driver's License was completed — but for non-Driver's License, State Issued IDs they have no method for providing replacements. At all.

She does have a filed police report, as well as a Birth Certificate. Will she be able to fly? What more can she do to try to get some sort of valid ID?

Well Dan, the good news is that she'll probably be able to fly. The bad news is that we can't definitively say that she will be able to board a plane without ID because the laws regarding IDs and planes are secret. Yes, these laws are considered "SSI" or Sensitive Security Information. A civil liberty activist recently petitioned the Supreme Court to disclose the law, but his petition was denied.

So, the answer is we don't know if you're legally required to show ID or not, but we do know that people have, in the past, been allowed to board planes without showing ID. To board a plane without ID, you should explain your situation to the TSA agent. Bring any documentation you have, and expect to go through secondary screening.

As for your question about how your friend can go about getting her ID back, this is going to get a little complicated.

Unless she is willing to go back to Iowa, here is the best way we found for her to get her ID mess sorted out:

1) She can use her birth certificate, credit cards, library cards, atm cards, and a witness to apply in person for a US Passport OR Ask her college to send her a new student ID. To get a passport without showing photo ID, the witness will need to bring ID, fill out a form DS-71 in the presence of a passport agent, have known her at least 2 years, and be a US citizen.

2) Once she has a new student ID and/or a passport, she can apply for a new Social Security Card. She will need her birth certificate and either the passport or the student ID.

3) Once she has a social security card, she can apply for a New York State ID Card.

The moral of this story is not to carry your social security card. In addition to dealing with this mess, your friend is going to want to check out the FTC's ID Theft page, as well as contact the Iowa Attorney General's Office to see what programs Iowa has in place. We'd also suggest complaining about their lack of a replacement program for ID cards. Good luck, and be sure to say "Hi" to the TSA for us.

If she's still feeling nervous about flying without ID, NPR has a helpful story she can listen to. Heck, some people refuse to show ID on principle!—MEGHANN MARCO

(Photo: Ben Tubby)

Did you know that 078-05-1120 is the most stolen social security number ever? Over 40,000 people have claimed that this number, belonging to a secretary of an wallet manufacturing executive, is their own. From the SSA:

In 1938, wallet manufacturer the E. H. Ferree company in Lockport, New York decided to promote its product by showing how a Social Security card would fit into its wallets. A sample card, used for display purposes, was inserted in each wallet. Company Vice President and Treasurer Douglas Patterson thought it would be a clever idea to use the actual SSN of his secretary, Mrs. Hilda Schrader Whitcher.

...Or did you know that social security numbers are not issued in sequence? Or that the first set of numbers increases from northeast to southwest, depending on where you were born? Or that the first Social Security number was issued to someone who died before collecting benefits? Or that the first payment was $.17? Ah, trivia! —MEGHANN MARCO

Interesting Facts About Social Security Numbers [The Tao of Making Money]

In the latest sign of the U.S. banking industry's aggressive pursuit of the Hispanic market, Bank of America Corp. has quietly begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers — typically illegal immigrants.

In recent years, banks across the country have begun offering checking accounts and, in some cases, mortgages to the nation's fast-growing ranks of undocumented immigrants, most of whom are Hispanic. But these immigrants generally haven't been able to get major credit cards, making it hard for them to develop a credit history and expand their purchasing power.

According to the LA Times: "The cards are designed to be a first step for immigrants trying to build a credit history, bank spokeswoman Alexandra C. Trower said today."

A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security was less than thrilled, even though the cards are perfectly legal and comply "fully with all banking and antiterrorism laws governing customer identification."

"At face value the program seems to be problematic," said Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. "It seems to be lending itself to possibilities of perpetrating identity theft or creating more risk for money laundering." Hey, if it's legal, it's legal. People need banking services. —MEGHANN MARCO

Bank of America Casts Wider Net For Hispanics [Wall Street Journal]
Bank of America to offer credit cards to illegal immigrants [LA Times]

That's exactly what happened to Elixeo, back in the day, before anyone took identity theft seriously. Thanks to a little creative people engineering, though, he was able to send that bandito packing. Find out how, after the jump...

Click here to jump.

Elixeo writes:

"A few years back, long before identify theft was so prevalent I was mugged in Los Angeles. It was a pretty traumatic experience. I had been out at my favorite club and rather than drive home I decided to take a bus. While I was waiting for the bus a car stopped and offered me a ride. It was a stupid thing to do but heck I was drunk so I decided sure why not. As soon as I got in they pulled a knife on me and told me to stay calm. They drove me to an alley, told me to empty my pockets and hand over my suit jacket and then lie flat on my stomach on the pavement. I did as I was told and when one of the guys caught me trying to get a look at their license plate he charged me with the knife and I took off running. As I said it was pretty traumatic but a friend talked me into going back to the scene of the crime to see if we could find anything. I was resistant but agreed. I was shocked to find my suit jacket and my wallet with all my credit cards and driver license still in it! All that was missing was my money or at least that was all I thought was missing. It wasn't until months later I discovered the seriousness of what it was they got away with. I had filed my income tax and received a letter from the IRS stating that I could not file two tax statements and that if my intention was to file an amendment I would have to complete different forms. Still clueless to what was going on I called the IRS. The woman I spoke to researched the situation and advised me that they had received my and my wife Guadalupe Flores' statement in February. I informed the young woman that I was not married and that I had not in fact filed the tax statement. As I was explaining that my statement was the valid statement it occurred to me that the item that was missing from my wallet other than my money was my social security card. Back in those days I think it was fairly common for someone to carry their Social Security number in their wallet.

I explained to the lady what I believed had transpired and she stated that she would make a note of it and move the bogus tax record out of my history and process my form. I asked her if she could provide the address from the bogus tax form so I could report the person to the police and she explained that it was confidential information. I was incredulous. If the record was supposedly mine why couldn't I have the information. She explained that she now knew it was not my information and therefore she could not divulge it. I then asked if they planned to pursue the person and report the incident to the police. She explained that they did not have a procedure to do such a thing and that if I wanted to report it to the police I was welcome to.

So I called the police and explained the situation and they explained that without information on who and where the person was they couldn't do anything about it. The officer I spoke to at the time agreed that stealing something was illegal but he wasn't sure how to pursue the use of someone else's social security number. I was flummoxed.

I contacted the IRS again and asked if I could have my SS# changed. The woman I spoke to was sympathetic but she confided that I was just asking for trouble. She explained that she had seen situations where for various reasons individuals changed their SS# and it was nearly impossible to sort things out when it came time for them to claim social security benefits. Although the funds from the old SS# were supposed to be transferred to the new one it never went as it was supposed to so it was her recommendation that I just leave things as they are.

Now here is the real twister to the story. The guy using my social security number was a model citizen (or model illegal citizen). I mean the guy filed his taxes every year and he usually beat me to it. Oh yes, by the way, each year I would file my taxes and each year I would have to go through the entire thing all over again. This went on for four or five years. As I said identity theft was not all that common at the time so no one was willing or able to help me and believe me, each year at tax time I would try all over again (the whole thing started around 1984).

It finally got resolved in a very unusual manner. I was purchasing a car and the dealership was running a credit check on me. I hung out in the parking lot looking at cars while he did his thing and in a relatively short period of time he came rushing out exclaiming what an excellent credit rating I had and how it was one of the best he had seen. Needless to say I was flattered and then he said "the real clincher is that you have worked at Such and Such Hardware store for the last 8 or ten years" or something like that. He was holding the printout in his hand and I quickly reached for the paper as I asked if I could look at it. I must have had an odd look on my face because he suddenly got suspicious and snatched the print out away. "Why? What's wrong?" he asked. Nothing really, I just want to see it I explained. He wasn't entirely buying it and he said something about how he wasn't supposed to let me see it but he grudgingly obliged. I looked at the sheet and was floored to see that in addition to Mr. Flores filing taxes in my name he also had a number of credit cards with exceptionally high limits and excellent payment history. This guy actually had better credit than I did! I saw that he worked at a Hardware store in Los Angeles ( I had since moved to Santa Barbara). I took my new car home and although I was excited about the car I was even more excited about finally tracking this guy down! I briefly toyed with the idea of charging a few things on some of the cards he was managing and see if he would pay. It occurred to me that he was such a model citizen that he would probably report me and I would end up in jail.

When I got home I called the Hardware store and asked if Elixeo Flores was there. They said yes and asked if I wanted to talk to him. I said no, thanked the person and hung up. I then called the police with the information. I won't go into the detail of that conversation but essentially what they said was that they couldn't help me.

So after thinking about it for awhile I called the Hardware store and asked to talk to the owner. I explained to the gentleman that the person in their employment was not in fact Elixeo Flores but someone else using my social security number. I explained that he must be a valuable employee since he worked for them so long and that it was in everyone's best interest for him to cease using the social security number and not pass it on to anyone else or I would see to it that he was put in prison for tax fraud and eventually deported. The owner assured me that all would be taken care of and to my good fortune he was right.

The following year I was able to file my taxes without incident and a credit review confirmed that all of the other credit cards had been terminated. As awful as the experience was I can't imagine how much worse it could have been if the person using my card had not been as conscientious as he was.

Elixeo F"

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I read something on your site about a company or three using a security breach to sell identity protection services. Well today I received a letter from H&R Block (I did my taxes online free there last year, great site). They described how through an error they placed customers' social security numbers in a 40-digit alphanumeric code on the outside of some free TaxCut software they had sent out. The kicker here is that they were simply writing to inform customers of the mistake and to apologize... no services were offered, sold, or otherwise browbeaten. I thought that part was remarkable.

Just be aware. If you've gotten a copy of that TaxCut software, be sure to dispose of it shredded and in separate bags.