Re:The careless errors of credit reporting agencies
by toast0 on Sunday September 11, 2016 @01:06PM
(#12474336)
> Another concept that I don't understand is that USA's social security number has to be kept secret or otherwise your identity can be stolen. How that is even possible? Doesn't your employer needs it?
It doesn't make sense, but basically knowing name, date of birth, and social security number is enough to open a credit account (sometimes you have to answer some questions which would be on a credit report, or provide an ID card if you're doing it in person). This is why it's important to try to keep it secret; on the other hand, employers are required to have it for taxation purposes, as well as any creditors (including utilities) want it too; most health insurance is driven by SSN too, and so are many health records; so the number is all over the place.
Court records (the issue in this article) wouldn't normally include a social security number, so the credit agency is 'helpfully' associating those by name, maybe date of birth, and city of residence with other records in their files.
It doesn't make sense, but basically knowing name, date of birth, and social security number is enough to open a credit account (sometimes you have to answer some questions which would be on a credit report, or provide an ID card if you're doing it in person). This is why it's important to try to keep it secret; on the other hand, employers are required to have it for taxation purposes, as well as any creditors (including utilities) want it too; most health insurance is driven by SSN too, and so are many health records; so the number is all over the place.
Court records (the issue in this article) wouldn't normally include a social security number, so the credit agency is 'helpfully' associating those by name, maybe date of birth, and city of residence with other records in their files.