Question:
Apparently according to some SS law (have no idea which law or if this is even true) people are not allowed to ask you for your ss# as it is to be used for SS purposes only. When ever anyone has asked me for it I’ve refused to give it, and I’ve always ended up completing whatever transaction it was. If I remember the last time was when we bought a new car, the dealership wanted the SS# and we refused to give it with no problems. I think eBay has always wanted some bank account or something when you want to sell as they need to collect payment.
Thanks – I’ll check into it further. Bryan
Response:
says… Apparently according to some SS law (have no idea which law or if this is even true) people are not allowed to ask you for your ss# as it is to be used for SS purposes only.
It’s not true. The law(s) only restricts the circumstances under which government organizations may require your Social Security Account Number (SSAN) and the uses for which such organizations may use your SSAN. Any other person or non-governmental organization may ask for your SSAN for any reason at any time, and may make providing it a requirement for "doing business" with them. You have the right to refuse to provide this information, and the person or non-governmental organization has the right to refuse your "business" if you do not. When ever anyone has asked me for it I’ve refused to give it
I think that’s an excellent policy. I’ve always ended up completing whatever transaction it was.
I’ve had only two problems: * I was denied an account at a video-rental store when I refused to give the store my SSAN; * I could not pay for a purchase with a personal check because my SSAN was not printed on my checks. If I remember the last time was when we bought a new car, the dealership wanted the SS# and we refused to give it with no problems.
If you pay cash, the dealer has no need for your SSAN. If you obtained a loan through the dealer, I’d be very surprised if no SSAN was needed; it’s one of the methods of identifying the credit- worthiness of a borrower. I think eBay has always wanted some bank account or something when you want to sell as they need to collect payment.
In the olden days (1998?) Ebay just let sellers sign up. When I signed up as a seller, I provided a credit-card number — I don’t remember what other options, if any, I had at the time.
Response:
Just some random thoughts: "Jules Dubois" wrote * I was denied an account at a video-rental store when I refused to give the store my SSAN;
Who says you need to give them the real number? It’s a video store!!! They’re not managing my retirement. * I could not pay for a purchase with a personal check because my SSAN was not printed on my checks.
Printing you SSN on your checks is a VERY bad idea. I used to when I was in the service, but stopped doing so right after I got out and learned how easy it would be for someone to steal my checkbook, or even obtain a random check, and have full access to my account. If I remember the last time was when we bought a new car, the dealership wanted the SS# and we refused to give it with no problems. If you pay cash, the dealer has no need for your SSAN. If you obtained a loan through the dealer, I’d be very surprised if no SSAN was needed; it’s one of the methods of identifying the credit-worthiness of a borrower.
I did once refuse to give my SSN to a bank when I applied for a VISA and they still issued the card. I’ve never tried it with an auto purchase, though.
Response:
I did once refuse to give my SSN to a bank when I applied for a VISA and they still issued the card. I’ve never tried it with an auto purchase, though.
I had an over-the-phone credit card pitch trying to get me to give them my SSN to issue me their way-cool card. "No way," I said bluntly. "For all I know, you could be a boiler room scam operation. I’m not giving you jack. You called ME to offer me this supposedly pre-approved credit card, so if you’re legit, you should have all the info you need to do so. If you do, you don’t need my SSN, so I’m certainly not giving it to you. No thanks." Shock of shocks, the credit card came in the mail a week later. http://members.aol.com/kimmurphy/ Kimberly’s Barbie Collection: http://members.aol.com/kimmurphy/barbies.html
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – says… Apparently according to some SS law (have no idea which law or if this is even true) people are not allowed to ask you for your ss# as it is to be used for SS purposes only. It’s not true. The law(s) only restricts the circumstances under which government organizations may require your Social Security Account Number (SSAN) and the uses for which such organizations may use your SSAN. Any other person or non-governmental organization may ask for your SSAN for any reason at any time, and may make providing it a requirement for "doing business" with them. You have the right to refuse to provide this information, and the person or non-governmental organization has the right to refuse your "business" if you do not.
Not completly. If you desire NOT to give it, they should have a "secondary" number which they would issue in place of the SSN. I have been though the mill with companies that want this info. I usually tell them "Create one of your own" They try to ignore this, but then they see a sale floating off, they usually comply.
Response:
If I remember the last time was when we bought a new car, the dealership wanted the SS# and we refused to give it with no problems.
If you pay cash, the dealer has no need for your SSAN.
This is an area where you have no idea what you’re talking about Jules. If you paid cash for a new car (in the USA), the dealer would be required by Federal law to record your SSAN. Have you ever heard of a "CTR"? You could try to refuse compliance but you wouldn’t drive away in your new car, nor would you get your cash back. You could then ‘call the cops’. But that would lead to an even more comical scenario.
Response:
I did a tax return for a man a few years ago who got pig-headed and would not give Vanguard Mutual Funds his SS# They said fine and took his money – when he cashed in the fund later they took out about 37% withholding tax as required by the govt. on accounts without SS#s. Lesson learned In reading the posts on this topic it is about as full of mis-information as good information. In the real world a lot of folks just make up a number and give it out — I’ve done, I don’t know how many, tax returns for Latin Americans who finally got legal in the US who worked for years with made up SS numbers John
Response:
In the real world a lot of folks just make up a number and give it out — I’ve done, I don’t know how many, tax returns for Latin Americans who finally got legal in the US who worked for years with made up SS numbers
True, but I think it’s worth pointing out that some of those made up numbers are somebody else’s real number, and one can end up causing somebody else grief as a consequence. Deborah Stevenson
Response:
Any other person or non-governmental organization may ask for your SSAN for any reason at any time, and may make providing it a requirement for "doing business" with them. You have the right to refuse to provide this information, and the person or non-governmental organization has the right to refuse your "business" if you do not.
Don’t you hate it when it goes both ways like that? Bryan
Response:
Any other person or non-governmental organization may ask for your SSAN for any reason at any time, and may make providing it a requirement for "doing business" with them. You have the right to refuse to provide this information, and the person or non-governmental organization has the right to refuse your "business" if you do not.
And nothing forces you to provide a correct social security number to a non-governmental agency. Do you think that when I rented that trumpet at the mall for my child from the teenage clerk that all the information I provided was correct? Most clerks are quite happy that all the blanks are filled in and nothing more.
Response:
Do you think that when I rented that trumpet at the mall for my child from the teenage clerk that all the information I provided was correct? Most clerks are quite happy that all the blanks are filled in and nothing more.
Yea but then you run the risk of being charged with fraud, or stealing someone else’s SS#.
Response:
My followup to this message from "Lei Ying Lo" Do you think that when I rented that trumpet at the mall for my child from the teenage clerk that all the information I provided was correct? Most clerks are quite happy that all the blanks are filled in and nothing more. Yea but then you run the risk of being charged with fraud, or stealing someone else’s SS#.
Just transpose two digits. You made a "mistake."
Response:
stealing someone else’s SS#. Just transpose two digits. You made a "mistake."
I’ve reached at stage in life where multiple dyslexic episodes can be a valid argument in my defense. But only a fool would give out a social security number, along with name, address and credit card number, to anyone other than the government. Happy Trails Johpa
Response:
I don’t do a lot of selling, but have done a fair amount of buying. A friend told me that e-bay is now requiring SS#’s and Checking acct.#’s for sellers. Is this true? If so, is this IRS related? BAM
Response:
Apparently according to some SS law (have no idea which law or if this is even true) people are not allowed to ask you for your ss# as it is to be used for SS purposes only. When ever anyone has asked me for it I’ve refused to give it, and I’ve always ended up completing whatever transaction it was. If I remember the last time was when we bought a new car, the dealership wanted the SS# and we refused to give it with no problems. I think eBay has always wanted some bank account or something when you want to sell as they need to collect payment.
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