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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!chris
From: chris@grkermit.UUCP (Chris Hibbert)
Newsgroups: net.legal,net.flame
Subject: Re: a new SSN abuse: SSN# Sweepstake
Message-ID: <664@grkermit.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Sep-83 11:30:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: grkermit.664
Posted: Thu Sep 29 11:30:35 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Sep-83 02:37:49 EDT
References: <656@utastro.UUCP>
Organization: GenRad Inc., Concord, MA
Lines: 35

It is not illegal for anyone to ask for your Social Security Number.
The SSAdministration can't restrict you from giving that information to
anyone you want.  The following is an extract from a publication of the
SSA.  Unfortunately, they sent me photo-copied individual pages, so I
don't know exactly what publication it is.  The Identifying numbers at
the tops of the pages are "TN 4388 4-78".  

Section 2886 "Undesirable Uses of the SSN"
 Part A. "Commercial Uses in General"

Several years ago, SSA became aware that some private business
organizations were exploiting the social security numbering system in
various kinds of commercial schemes, such as "lucky number" contests,
special correspondence techniques by debt or skip-tracing
organizations, the offer of plastic or metal cards in exchange for
information used to sell insurance for collect debts, and the sale of
plastic or metal cards for profit.

Some of these enterprises make it appear to the public that SSA has
approved their activities and is in some way associated with them.  This
is not true, of course, and every attempt has been made to discourage
such activity, even though the SSN is not copyrighted under the law.

  Part B. "Discouraging Commercial Uses of SSN"

SSA has no authority to prevent newspaper and radio "lucky number"
contests, and there is no need to contact the organizations running
them in an attempt to have them abandon a plan already underway unless
they are using misleading advertising which implies SSA cooperation.
However, if a company should contact a DO [presumably "District
Office"] for approval, cooperation, or opinion on a proposed contest,
it should be explained this use of the SSN is most undesirable because
it encourages many applications for SSN's from persons who don't need
them and many applications for multiple numbers from persons who feel
several SSN's would enhance their chances of winning a prize.