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Re: SSN Use
I agree with Dean Blobaum, I was a victim of a variation of true-name fraud called account-takeover fraud. Somehow a bad guy apparently got a copy of my credit report and simply contacted my bank and credit card companies and moved my accounts to a new address, a mail drop. By accident I discovered it before any damage was done. I cancelled all cards and accounts. Three months later several of the new accounts were moved to a new fraudulent mail drop. Only $1,000.00 was stolen from American Express. All new accounts were set up again! Eight months later the IRS (the tax authorities) inquired why I filed two returns. The scam masters milked a tax preparation service for a bit more ill gotten gain. In the US at least, the social security number can help a bad guy get access to personal information that can damage a person. Dan Jordan Touro Law Center Huntington, New York USA Dean Blobaum wrote: > > At 11:15 AM 11/6/97 -0500, Peter Boyce wrote: > >This is getting even farther afield, but I wonder how many states use > >the SSN as the driver's license number. I know the District of > >Clumbia does. And, for all I know, they sell the lists to > >marketers... > > > >I have always worried about the SSN being on my license. I guess the risk > >of theft is actually small. It is similar to sending credit card numbers > >actually had a problem is small, but the perception of risk as perceived by > >the public is enormous. > > > >Still, the privacy issue is an important matter. > > No way. It is NOT similar to the theft of a credit card. You can be the > victim of what is called true-name fraud. Starting with your SSN and your > name a thief can open numerous credit accounts in your name, run up the > charges, bail out to a personal finance company to consolidate all that > debt--all in your name--in your identity--and then skip out on the > consolidated loan. Will you end up paying any of this? Probably not. > You won't even know it's happening because the thief hasn't used your real > address. You'll find out when you try to get credit yourself. Then it > will cost you myriad letters and phone calls to all the credit bureaus, > and numerous letters of explanation to the bank, credit card company, or > whomever you're seeking credit from. Basically make your financial life > hell, maybe for a few years. Got to meet a closing deadline on that house > of your dreams, or lose it? Guess what. > > Not a small problem. Privacy is not the issue, security is. > > ------------------------------------------------- > Dean Blobaum > The University of Chicago Press > dblobaum@press.uchicago.edu > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Catalogs, online ordering, and features from our publications at: > http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ > -----------------------------------------------------------------
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