Seems to me a better solution here is for the banks, etc. to find a better method of ID than Social Security Numbers. Used to be there was something on the card to the effect it wasn't considered valid ID. Using the mother's maiden name is certainly an outdated custom that doesn't prove anything. Some mother's are going by their maiden name. What kind of secret is that? I have run into a couple of places that ask you to provide a question the staff can ask you along with the only acceptable answer. That would be hard for anyone to steal if you pick the right question and answer that ONLY you would know. (At least till someone on their staff lifted it.) ;-} Then we could have our mother's maiden names back to use in our genealogy!! Janice