Hi Shirley and List, A social security number is nine digits and anyone can write down nine numbers with the dashes in the correct place. The difference is whether the name and social security number match a "living" record or a "dead" one or if it doesn't match at all. We should all protect living people but we can't protect Aunt Alice who was born in 1872 and died in 1972. She is beyond our protection. Sadly, there are unscrupulous people in the world and so we must not share records of living people. This is beyond the discussion but a Social Security number is just one part of a persons record. Our birth, parents, employment, address, etc., all help record our identity while we are living and after we are dead. A Social Security number, by itself, is worthless without knowing the others. If you don't believe me, just do a Social Security number search for John Smith. 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 8:49 PM Subject: Re: [MSITAWAM-L] Social Security #. > >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. >> > >