> Ditto NZ and Aus. Also means that no national ID card or number is necessary. Seems kind of obvious to me. The use of SSN as proof of identity in the US just seems like misuse to me.

It's the same in the US too. The problem in the article is that the person had a legitimate driver's license issued in the stolen name with his own picture on it.

It's not just a simple as "he had the SSN".