Thousands of Social Security Numbers Leaked Yearly

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2419...curity_numbers_leaked_yearly.html#tk.rss_news

 

Why is it publicly available in the first place?

 

If more than one person is using your SSN, get a new one, then you will be the sole proprietor of it.

 

Why has SS become your identity?

It never was supposed to. You needed SS to just get a job and pay your taxes.

People had their SS printed on checks.

Now, suddenly, the SS has become your identity. And, now you have to keep it secret.

 

I remember when they used to print Drivers License numbers and phone numbers on checks and now they recommend having none of it.

The social security number thing has definitely gone wrong though. I've had an employee at one of my creditors steal my SS number and go on a shopping spree with my info. Nobody seems to care about catching them. I was told I could hire a private investigator...

I used to have a coworker that received a bill for employment taxes in the state of California for 5 figures if I remember correctly. He found out over 100 illegals were using it to get jobs and paying no taxes. Though he was cleared of the taxes nobody did anything to stop what was being done with his number.

 

Agreed, SS was never intended to be as such.

 

My SS card plainly says "not for identification purposes" on it. Yeah right.