Social Security Numbers, Part Three

Social Security Numbers, Identity Theft, Congress, and Your Protection
Part three of my five part blog,

Legitimate Uses for the SSN:

The SSN, for all intent and purposes, is a tax identification number. When you work, you pay Social Security taxes and other taxes. The SSN is used to record information such as total income, taxes paid, and taxes owed. Yet, the SSN is used for much more than the initial purpose of being used solely for the Social Security Act.

The change from a paper filing system to computer records is commonplace in government agencies as well as many businesses. There are a good many individuals sharing the same name. Retrieving accurate information of each person simply works better if each individual file is assigned one unique set of numbers. The majority of government agencies and businesses feel that the SSN is ideally suited for this particular purpose.

Thanks to the Privacy Act of 1974, all government agencies – local, state, and federal – are required by law to provide a “disclosure” on the form requesting disclosure of the SSN. This statement will inform the individual whether the SSN is required or voluntarily requested. In addition, the statute or authority by which the SSN is requested must be stated.

The Privacy Act of 174 also states you cannot be denied government benefits or services if you deny a SSN that is not required by federal law. In addition, if there is no visible disclosure, then a complaint should be made to the appropriate agencies. There are many exceptions to this law, and the majority of individuals are not aware of his or her rights.

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator


Part One >>: "SS Numbers, Part One"

Part Two >>: "SS Numbers, Part Two - Identity Theft Crisis"

Part Three >>: "SS Numbers, Part Three - Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Four >>: "SS Numbers, Part Four - Other Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Five >>: "SS Numbers, Part Five - The Solution"