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Scam Alert: Protect Your Social Security Number In March of 1997, John Stevens, a 72-year old retired Air Force officer, received a phone call from a bank demanding payment on a Jeep Cherokee he never purchased. That was just the start of his troubles. Plans for moving closer to his 96-year-old mother and grandchildren ended quickly when he and his wife discovered that someone had stolen their names and Social Security numbers using them to open 33 fraudulent credit accounts, running up $113,000 in bills. Their credit was destroyed. "Everyone accepts this single nine-digit number as you, regardless of who's handing it out," said Stevens in a Congressional hearing. "It makes us vulnerable." Congress is considering new protection for consumers from Social Security number theft and misuse. The widespread use of Social Security numbers as a common identifier can give criminals easy access to credit or government benefits. Clearing his record, Stevens found, was a nightmare. Attempts to clear the accounts through credit-reporting agencies failed. Even an attorney hired by Stevens was ignored. Some of the creditors cleared the fraud accounts at credit-reporting agencies then assigned them to a third party collection agency. The delinquent or charged off fraudulent accounts then reappeared on credit reports with a different name and the process started over. Stevens testified that he had to clear reports of all identifiable fraud data three times. Source: Testimony of John T., Jr. and Mary Elizabeth Stevens, Before the Committee on Social Security of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Hearing on Use and Misuse of Social Security Numbers, May 9, 2000. Warning To TSCL Members TSCL has seen advertisements and announcements placed in newspapers, newsletters, or other publications that request personal information along with your name and address—such as your Social Security number. TREA Senior Citizens League does not place advertisements or such announcements. We never ask for your Social Security number. Do not give out your Social Security number unless you know where and how it will be used (such as on your income tax return). Treat your Social Security and Medicare numbers as classified documents.” Keep them safe. This article first appeared in Volume 5, Issue 9 of "The Social Security and Medicare Advisor" newsletter (September/2000). To receive future editions of "The Advisor" in its special, free e-mail version, please click here. | ||||||||
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