Here's the short version - The social security data comes from the social security administration records, which come from deaths reported to the social security administration. The data file is called the US Master Death File. This index is produced by the National Technical Information service of the US Dept. of Commerce. It's primary use as I understand it is to prevent fraud. Financial institutions use it to verify that a person opening an account or borrowing money is not using the ss# of a dead person. Companies like Ancestry.com can also purchase this data. The product is expensive, and there are as you know regular updates which must also be purchased. The fact that ancestry.com removed the ssdi from rootsweb was a business decision on their part. It may or may not be related to the current goings on. The paid ancestry.com does have the SSDI, however, they have removed the social security numbers. Familysearch.org still includes the numbers and that is a free site. Familytreelegends.com still includes the numbers, and is free, but it looks like the data only goes through 2003 AmericanAncestors.org still includes the numbers, and is free. This is the website of the NEHGS. pay sites: Genealogybank.com has removed the numbers worldvitalrecords.com has removed the numbers There are a few things going on with SSDI. First, the social security administration decided not to release the parents' names on the SS-5 forms that you can purchase from them, if the the deceased person is younger than 100. Now there is a hearing tomorrow to remove the ssdi from the public. This is an outcry caused by some criminals who apparently filed fraudulent tax returns using the ssn's of deceased children. My question is why doesn't the IRS have a plan in place to prevent such fraud? Go to http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/ put ssdi in the search box and you will get lots of links and more information. That's it in a nutshell, Lisa > -----Original Message----- > From: cook-co-il-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:cook-co-il- > bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Lorac > Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:46 AM > To: cook-co-il@rootsweb.com > Subject: [COOK-CO-IL] SSDI situation explained please? > > I hope someone can set me straight on the SSDI situation. On this website > tis a.m. > > http://searches.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ssdi.html > > I found that you can no longer search. But, I also read on another list > that PAID Ancestry will have it. > Since Rootsweb is owned (?) by Ancestry and the House Ways and Means > committee have not yet met, > how does Ancestry (PAID) still will have the SSDI data? How/why does the > government sell our data to a private company and they in turn sell it to > us? I am not talking about the original applications, just the > INDEX....who > paid for the index? > > I've been off list for a while, so if all of this has been hashed out, > someone please give me a short run down on what is happening... > > Carol > > > > > ----- > 7. Re: A little OT: SSDI Access ( jazzdans@comcast.net ) > > 8. Re: 1940 census clarification (Eliz Hanebury) > > > > Message: 7 > > Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:09:06 -0800 > > From: " jazzdans@comcast.net " <jazzdans@comcast.net> > > Subject: Re: [COOK-CO-IL] A little OT: SSDI Access > > To: " Kathleen Craine " <kac522@aol.com>, cook-co-il@rootsweb.com > > Message-ID: <201202010308.q1138qQT024214@mail.rootsweb.com> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > > > Gf > > > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone > > > > ----- Reply message ----- > > From: "Kathleen Craine" <kac522@aol.com> > > Date: Mon, Jan 30, 2012 5:14 pm > > Subject: [COOK-CO-IL] A little OT: SSDI Access > > To: <cook-co-il@rootsweb.com> > > > > I received this message from another list. The House Ways & Means > > Committee will be reviewing public access to the SSDI. > > > > Kathleen Craine > > Chicago > > > > -------------------------------- > > > > I feel the need to sidestep our usual communications and make sure that > > all of you are aware of the issues we are facing about our right to > access > > the SSDI - Social Security Death Index. As genealogists, I'm guessing our > > 2 most often used tools are the census and the SSDI. Due to concerns > about > > identity theft, our government now thinks that a key way to fix this > > problem is to deny the public's access to the SSDI. > > > > Many of us first became aware of this when we read an article by Megan > > Smolenyak Smolenyak "Are We Going To Lose The SSDI?" > > http://megansmolenyak.posterous.com/are-we-going-to-lose-the-social- > security-deat > > > > We've now learned that the Ways and Means Committee is holding a hearing > > on the SSDI this Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. > > http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=276834 > > > > NO genealogists are being allowed to be witnesses and testify at this > > meeting! > > http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.genealogy.jewish/2012- > 01/msg00346.html#.TyVbv31zUsc.twitter > > > > It is VERY important that we all start writing letters and submit them to > > the Ways and Means Committee! In the link above about their meeting, if > > you go down the page, you will find an area about how to submit your > > letters to them. Follow the directions to the letter! > > After you've submitted your letter to the above committee, please also > > figure out who your Senator(s) are and send them a copy of your letter > > http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and > do > > the same with your Representative(s) > > http://www.house.gov/representatives/ . The Senator and Representative > > websites have searches on the top right to help you figure out who > > represents you. (If possible, please send a letter or a fax. A pile of > > papers on a politicians desk is going to have a greater impact than a > > bunch of e-mails in their inbox. E-mailing is better than doing nothing > at > > all, but if possible, don't have it be your first choice.) > > > > If you need some ideas for things you can put in your letter, check out > > this list from RPAC > > http://www.fgs.org/rpac/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/talking-points-on-why- > genealogists-need-social-security-death-index-final.pdf > > If you need ideas on how to compose a letter, the CAFG is working on > > sample letters and will post them here: > > http://www.forensicgenealogists.com/Resources.html > > > > Judy Russell who is very well versed in the legal areas that affect > > genealogy has posted a great blog post here: > > www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2012/01/29/ssdi-call-to- > action/http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2012/01/29/ssdi-call-to-action/ > > It will give you some great info to get you started. > > > > To stay informed of this issue, you can check out Occupy Genealogy on > > facebook https://www.facebook.com/occupygenealogy or on their website > > http://www.occupygenealogy.com/action-center---your-help-needed.html > > > > Remember the old saying "The squeaky wheel gets the oil"? Now is the time > > to start squeaking! Please be sure your voice is heard and get those > > letters submitted ASAP! > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > COOK-CO-IL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to COOK-CO-IL- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message

Thank you Lisa for the link to Genealogybank.com and worldvitalrecords.com. I have never been interested in the S.S. numbers. Family Search.org I hope will keep up to date, I understand that they too have entered into some business dealings with Ancestry. So, perhaps that too will disappear. It seems like Ancestry will be the only game in town. I have been trying for years to get a credit card to stop using my mother's maiden name as a means of ID. So I can see both sides.. Carol ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Lepore" <llepore@comcast.net> To: "'Lorac'" <radford2@bellsouth.net>; <cook-co-il@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 7:06 PM Subject: RE: [COOK-CO-IL] SSDI situation explained please? > Here's the short version - > > The social security data comes from the social security administration > records, which > come from deaths reported to the social security administration. > > The data file is called the US Master Death File. This index is produced > by > the National > Technical Information service of the US Dept. of Commerce. It's primary > use > as I understand it is to prevent fraud. > Financial institutions use it to verify that a person opening an account > or > borrowing > money is not using the ss# of a dead person. > > Companies like Ancestry.com can also purchase this data. The product is > expensive, and there are > as you know regular updates which must also be purchased. The fact that > ancestry.com removed > the ssdi from rootsweb was a business decision on their part. It may or > may > not be related to > the current goings on. > > The paid ancestry.com does have the SSDI, however, they have removed the > social security numbers. > Familysearch.org still includes the numbers and that is a free site. > Familytreelegends.com still includes the numbers, and is free, but it > looks > like the data only goes through 2003 > AmericanAncestors.org still includes the numbers, and is free. This is > the > website of the NEHGS. > > pay sites: > Genealogybank.com has removed the numbers > worldvitalrecords.com has removed the numbers > > There are a few things going on with SSDI. First, the social security > administration decided not > to release the parents' names on the SS-5 forms that you can purchase from > them, if the the deceased > person is younger than 100. > > Now there is a hearing tomorrow to remove the ssdi from the public. This > is > an outcry caused by > some criminals who apparently filed fraudulent tax returns using the ssn's > of deceased children. > > My question is why doesn't the IRS have a plan in place to prevent such > fraud? > > Go to http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/ > put ssdi in the search box and you will get lots of links and more > information. > > > That's it in a nutshell, > Lisa