Though we may treat our Social Security numbers like confidential information, those nine digits are just about everywhere: Your bank, school, cable company, phone company, and more probably have this information, and may not be storing it securely. In a world where everything from fast food chains to massive global accounting firms are vulnerable to cybercrime, some are wondering if it’s time to say goodbye to the SSN. [More]
social security numbers
Prison Emails Inmates Social Security Numbers To Convicted ID Thief
By 3.8.17
We don’t know why a man previously convicted of identity theft (and making bomb threats) would be sending public record requests for current prison rosters. Everyone needs a hobby, right? The ID thief in this story received a bonus when one prison sent him the list of more than 2,000 inmates’ names: their full Social Security numbers. [More]
California Realizes Maybe It’s Not Such A Good Idea To Print Full Social Security Numbers On Mailed Documents
By 10.7.15
Earlier this year, a California state agency was heavily criticized for tempting identity thieves by printing full Social Security numbers on millions of documents it mailed out to state residents. Making matters worse, the agency didn’t really seem to understand why this might be a problem. After a few months to think about it, the bureaucrats appear to have finally come around. [More]
California Tempts ID Thieves, Prints Full Social Security Numbers On Millions Of Mailed Documents
By 7.9.15
From ruining your credit to giving you a criminal record, a clever ID thief can do some significant damage with a stolen Social Security number, so why is one California state agency putting this information out there in the mail for these fraudsters to swipe? [More]
What Can An ID Thief Do With My Social Security Number?
By 2.17.15 — Updated: 5.2.17
When I was working at the library in college, every student had to tell me his/her student ID number to check out a book, and with very few exceptions that number was also the student’s Social Security number. Oh boy, the profitable things I could have done if I’d been enterprisingly evil. [More]
Is Your Social Security Number A Public Record? Depends Where You Live
By 2.12.15
A pile of sensitive personal data from Florida residents is now on the loose online. But it wasn’t leaked from a hack or a breach. It was from a completely legitimate public records dump by the state’s former governor. [More]
AT&T Confirms Some Wireless Customers’ Phone Records, SSNs Accessed In April Security Breach
By 6.16.14
Check your mail, AT&T wireless customers — you might have an announcement from the company disclosing a data security breach that happened two months ago. Snail, mail indeed. AT&T confirmed over the weekend that three workers at one of the company’s vendors accessed an undisclosed amount of AT&T Mobility customers’ records. [More]
My W-2 Arrives Ripped Open, Only Tax Cat And I Care
By 1.28.13
Ultimately, we’re all responsible for our own fates. That’s what David learned when an important tax document arrived in his mailbox with his Social Security number and name exposed. It didn’t come in a “sorry we damaged your mail” envelope like most mangled letters do, so he was suspicious. Maybe someone had ripped it open to get his info. Maybe a postal employee had mangled it, but forgot to put it in an apologetic envelope. Whatever had happened, surely the postal service, credit bureaus, and police would have answers for him, right? Right. [More]
Woman's Social Security Number Displayed To Millions During Democratic National Convention
By 9.6.12
How do you know you’re watching television with a Consumerist editor? Our commenters will probably formulate all kinds of punchlines for that setup, but last night, I was half paying attention to former President Bill Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention on CNN when I happened to see an elderly supporter waving her Medicare card at the camera. Her name and Social Security number were completely legible. “We can read her card! Stop showing that!” I shouted at the TV. The people on the television never listen to personal finance bloggers who are shouting at them. [More]
Report: Charity Tax Forms Expose Nearly Half A Million Social Security Numbers
By 4.10.12
According to researchers from an identity protection company, publicly available tax forms have potentially put hundreds of thousands of identities at risk, publishing 472,866 Social Security Numbers in a five-year span. Charities unnecessarily included the numbers in 990 forms, which are part of public record. [More]
Domino's Drivers Can Ask To See ID On Credit Card Purchases, But You Don't Have To Show It
By 6.28.10
A Domino’s PR rep says drivers aren’t allowed to ask you for your Social Security Number to verify credit card purchases. Drivers can ask to see your ID, but you can refuse and the driver can’t deny the transaction. [More]
Domino's Delivery Guy Demanded My Social Security Number
By 6.24.10
Brent says the Domino’s dude wouldn’t let him pay with a credit card unless he offered up his Social Security Number or driver’s license number. Since Brent was smart enough to know you only give such information to Girl Scouts and those guys who go to door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions, he checked it out with his local Domino’s, which told him the nosyness is store policy. [More]
After Posting SS# In Ads, Lifelock CEO's Identity Stolen 13 Times
By 5.19.10
So confident is Lifelock in its $10-$15/month “identity theft protection service” that its CEO Todd Davis posts his social security number in its ads. Unfortunately, his identity has been stolen 13 times since doing so, reports the Phoenix Times. The FTC fined Lifelock $12 million in March for deceptive advertising.
Cracking LifeLock: Even After a $12 Million Penalty for Deceptive Advertising, the Tempe Company Can’t Be Honest About Its Identity-Theft-Protection Service [Phoenix New Times]
Victoria Wants Me To Reveal The Secret Of My SSN
By 5.11.10
As if it wasn’t compromising enough to give up her measurements, Lindsay says Victoria’s Secret also wanted her Social Security Number. [More]
Insurance Company Mails Out Postcards With SSNs
By 11.20.09
It’s always nice when an insurance company mails your Social Security Number out on bare naked postcards for anyone to ogle, right?
Comcast Admits Error In Requiring SSN Under "Patriot Act"
By 9.24.08
Comcast’s customer service czar Frank responded to our post “Comcast: “The Patriot Act” Mandates We Need Your SSN” by saying it was an error on part of the agent. Via Twitter he said:
TSA Loses Hard Drive Containing Personal Information For 100,000 Workers
By 5.6.07
The Transportation Security Administration, the division of the Department of Homeland Security charged with keeping bombs and pies away from planes, has misplaced an external hard drive containing social security numbers, bank data, and payroll information for 100,000 employees. We say “misplaced” because the TSA is not sure if the laptop was stolen, or “is still within headquarters.”
