I encountered a similar situation when inquiring about my great-grandfather's death certificate in Rockland County. He died in 1914 and they required a copy of my driver's license even though it's a public record that anyone walking into the building can look at. With the proliferation of identity theft these days, I'm surprised they would ask for a driver's license. Needless to say, I didn't send it - why should I send personal identifying information to a complete stranger (who may just end up tossing it in the trash for anyone to get) for a record that's almost 100 years old! ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

Following message made me think. Trash it? Could this be a persons ID theft gimmick at Yonkers VR. Would someone have their phone No and ask the manager if and why they require ID? That assumes the Mngr. is legit. ============== He died in 1914 and they required a > copy of my driver's license even though it's a public record that anyone > walking into the building can look at. With the proliferation of > identity theft > these days, I'm surprised they would ask for a driver's license. > Needless to > say, I didn't send it - why should I send personal identifying > information > to a complete stranger (who may just end up tossing it in the trash for > anyone > to get) for a record that's almost 100 years old! > > > > ************************************** AOL now offers free email to > everyone. > Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. > *************************************** > Have you checked out the Westchester County GenWeb site yet? > http://www.rootsweb.com/~nywestch/ > *************************************** > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYWESTCH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I phoned Yonkers twice yesterday to see what they said about the need to prove your identity by providing a driver's license. The information that I was given was conflicting, so I spoke with the Registrar today. She agreed with the need to provide a drivers license or photo ID in order to get either a genealogy or certified certificate. I believe she is wrong. I told her that I have bought hundreds of them from the state and was never asked to provide any such proof. The Registrar told me that another genealogist had raised the same question in the past and that she had phoned Albany to confirmed that what Yonkers was doing was correct, as well as required by the state. She said that she had a general information form from the state, on the back of which it stated the requirements. She told me that even a paid researcher who wanted to get a certificate for a client would need to get a release from their client in order to get it. I will receive the general form in the mail soon, so that I can read the requirements for myself. Something is wrong, but I can't tell what by the information that I received over the phone. More later. Cliff Lamere