Hi April and List: Who is to say what a warped mind or a crook will do to get an identity. I realize that the records are public but they would be a lot more easily found on-line. People running from the law or purposely don't want to be found will try anything to gain freedom if only temporarily. You must not be so trusting when it comes to using this type of info. Our bank no longer will put you Social Security # on your personal checks because for this reason. They are just as likely to use a Social Security # the same as they use peoples credit card #'s. Until you've had that experience you can't know what it involves or how long it takes to get things back to normal. Unfortunately I've had that experience several years ago and it still bothers me to see Social Security #'s posted so openly. There are people out there that produce Social Security cards for a fee as well as drivers licenses, pass ports, etc. Money paid to the right people will get you what you want. Shirley in OK. APRIL COGGINS wrote: > Hi Shirley and List, > If you mean deceased relatives, the numbers are public record. If I am not > mistaken, the numbers are being re-used for living people. Hopefully, no > one is sharing records of living people. I think this is an important issue > in genealogy and I welcome the discussion. > > April Coggins > > -----Original Message----- > From: outhouse@ionet.net <outhouse@ionet.net> > To: MSITAWAM-L@rootsweb.com <MSITAWAM-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: Wednesday, August 08, 2001 8:04 PM > Subject: [MSITAWAM-L] Social Security #. > > > Hi list, > > > >I would like to address something that bothers me. Do you think it wise > >to post Social Security numbers of our loved ones > >with all of fraud that goes on in our world every day? I personally > >would not want a person of that character to use my loved ones > >identity. But there are those that do. My thoughts are keep the > >numbers for your personal satisfaction, give them to family in their > >copy of the family research, but don't make them so PUBLIC. > > > >Shirley in OK. > >

Shirley, It is very unfortunate that you have suffered at the hands of unscrupulous individuals who would cheat you and turn your world upside down. However, Wayne's message posted earlier this morning describes the facts very well. I would add that you are more likely to be attacked if you leave your purse unattended in your shopping cart (my mother-in-law stepped away only 3 steps when her bag was grabbed from the cart), or in a book bag at a table in a genealogy reference library (one of my close friends was the victim a while back of such a purse thief; an individual who looked very rough -- and little like a genealogist -- who was "hanging out" in the genealogy room waiting for anyone to become so involved in their project that they forgot about their personal possessions). Information from living people is where the value can be found. Our deceased ancestors offer nothing to anyone not interested in our bloodlines. Most of us have had some similar experience or been close to someone who has been cheated, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and say keep all our data private. We might as well become hermits. My two cents, for what they are worth. Diane