Sunday, August 19, 2012
Anyone can Buy My Social Security number online?
The World Wide Web has become an effective tool to help people find information about their family, find long lost friends or relatives, and also allow them to search public records and other information of a person. Due to the fact that in most cases it is legal to search for public records (date of birth, residential location, phone number, marriage / divorce records, etc.), you may be worried that someone might be able to find one of your most personal forms of identification online - Your Social Security number (SSN).
First, before you work in a state of panic, you should know that it is illegal to give someone in the NHS results of a survey online people finder. In addition, a Social Security number are not considered public record information. It is illegal for anyone to sell information SSN.
In fact, due to many cases of identity theft that occurred in recent years, legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress to prohibit the commercial sale of Social Security numbers. That said, simply because the sale SSN is against the law, this does not mean it does not happen, and that the thieves will stop trying to look for these numbers to make their own nefarious purposes, assuming the identities of others to commit fraud.
Unfortunately, once someone has your Social Security number, it is not difficult for them to assume your identity and access to credit or bank accounts, and any other personal information. Moreover, an identity thief can create new bank and credit accounts in your name, or use the number for other purposes, such as medical care or employment.
How can you protect your SSN? Restrict access every time you get a chance to do so. Do not post online, or anywhere else that can be made easily accessible. You should also avoid holding the card in your wallet, and leave it in a safe place in your home.
That said, if you want to find the social security death records for purposes of personal information, such as to update your family tree, etc. you will find that there are sites that provide online with databases of public records that you can pay for the search .......
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