Julie, thanks! I forwarded your email to my entire list of researchers because I think you have brought it home for the reasons for the cutoff date. Thanks again. Carolyn ---------- > From: Hesson, Julie <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Age cut off --long, but important info > Date: Tuesday, March 30, 1999 6:05 PM > > Check out <http://www.identitytheft.org/protect.htm> > > In 1992-93, I was a long-haul trucker, running team, with my husband. > In 1992, the Federal Commercial Driver's License (CDL) regulations went > into effect. To prevent truckers from carrying licenses from 15 or more > states, we were licensed by our state, with only ONE license number: You > guessed it--our federally-mandated licenses bore the only number unique > to each of us: our Social Security Number. > > I never thought much about it, until Christmas of '93, when my purse > was stolen in a truck stop restroom (my fault--I set it on top of the TP > holder in the stall) and since I was in a hurry to get back on the road, > and there was a waiting line outside the stall, I neglected to grab it > on exit. Less than 5 minutes later, I relized it wasn't with me, and > went back into the restroom to check. No luck--it was gone, along with > my CDL, and my phone and credit cards. > > I cancelled the cards, stopped the checking account, and had to get a > new CDL. Fortunately, the thief was interested only in the $40 cash I > had in the wallet, and not in assuming my identity. But if that thief > had been a bit more creative, she could have obtained anything she > wanted, including my birth certificate, CDL, and credit history, simply > by utilizing my SSN. Since then, Arkansas has stopped using SSN's as CDL > numbers. > > I was very lucky, but was dismayed to learn, two months ago, that WV > DMV still demands a person's SSN. I refused to allow it to be placed on > my license, but most people do not even question, much less, understand, > what a clear and present danger exists, in divulging their SSN's in such > a public forum. This is not paranoia, folks--once your SSN goes into ANY > computer, you lose control over who has access to your life. The clerk > who enters it, cannot vouch for the integrity of others who have access > to the system. And computer systems are linked, so you have no idea > where that info is going. > > All it takes, to get a SS card in your name, is the info on your birth > certificate. And if your full name and birthdate are out here, on the > web, in published genealogy files, your life is fair game for the > identity thief. > > Charles & Carolyn Miller wrote: > > > > I have to agree with Linda and Peg on this one, also. Carolyn > > >