The Nagging Question…When Must You Supply Your Social Security Number?
We’re in a time where database breaches resulting in the release of personal data–most notably Social Security numbers–has become fairly commonplace. And there’s no question about the vulnerability that arises from those breaches…whether it’s a situation as broad as the Equifax saga, where 143 million sets of personal information were compromised, or whether it’s the files of the corner grocery store, the result is the same: your identifying data is out there and potentially in the hands of scammers and outright thieves.
In a recent Social Security panel discussion conducted by the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Service, the question of one’s ability to deny providing this form of identification in certain situations (in this case, an application for utility service) was hashed about at length, and it was evident that many folks are beginning to question the validity of such requests.
So what do you do? It seems routine to be asked to provide a Social Security number on an application for credit cards, bank accounts, cable tv service, travel documents, and so on, but what’s compelling you to provide that information? Emmy-award winning investigative reporter Amy Davis provides some thoughts on where you don’t need to honor this request, and when you do. Read her post here…
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