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Wednesday March 22, 2006

Keep your Social Security Number Private!

So during my time here in the USA, I'm running into numerous people who want my Social Security Number. Of course, being a new immigrant, I don't yet have one. Is this a problem?

In short, no.

The longer answer is, I am required to divulge it to at least two parties: my employer, the company that holds my bank accounts and to get a drivers licence. I'm not required to divulge my SS# to anyone else.

What about credit card companies? I now have two credit cards, one a Mastercard and one an American Express. Why should they give me a credit card without a social security number? Well, do they want my business or not? In the case of Amex, it appears like I've managed to sign up at a time when they are promoting a new card and of course they're eager to get new people signed up, right?

Most other entities want your SS# for the purpose of determining "who you are" - i.e identification. There are many other suitable ways that you should be able to present suitable identification, namely:

• driver's licence
• passport
• birth certificate

A birth certificate can be found lacking because it is unlikely to have a relevant photo attached, whereas the other two do.

Maybe it isn't quite so easy for Americans to refuse to give out your SS#, but the use of the SS# in the manner it is used today is plain wrong.

So what do we do in Australia?

In Australia we have a Tax File Number. When they mention "Financial Institution", they are referring to banks, not companies like American Express that only issue credit cards. Nobody else gets it. The tax file number is mailed to you on paper. There is no plastic card with it - i.e. you do not keep it in your wallet but at home, locked away somewhere. If you apply for a credit card at a major department store, you do not hand it over as a means of identification. It is not uncommon, however, to be required to provide the following for the purpose of establishing your identity:

• drivers licence or passport
• other credit card or pay slip
• bill for power/water/phone that connects you to your address

For government health benefits, we have a Medicare Card. This is availble to all Australians when they reach the age of 16. It has no other purpose than to serve as an additional means of proving that the name on the card is an Australian citizen.

Due to the obvious limitations with this card, there have been suggestions in the past on a national identity card. In the 1980s and again in the last 12 months. The most recent excuse? to fight terrorism. Luckily the Australian public isn't taking this load of horse manure laying down and recognises it for what it really is and are being vocal in opposition to it.