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From: wickart@iuvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: CONOCO requested my SSN to issue a c
Message-ID: <12700002@iuvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Apr-84 19:10:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: iuvax.12700002
Posted: Mon Apr 30 19:10:00 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 2-May-84 04:23:25 EDT
References: <525@ut-ngp.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:ut-ngp:-52500:iuvax:12700002:000:3085
Nf-From: iuvax!wickart    Apr 30 18:10:00 1984


Yes ! ! !
   Your Soc.Sec. card read "NOT A LEGAL MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION".
The federal Privacy Act of 1974 and its progeny have put teeth 
into this. An organization besides the Soc. Sec. Administration
must have express legislative consent to require your SSN. If
they provide a service to those supplying the SSN and refuse it
to those who don't, the "have-nots" can sue and collect for civil
damages. Note that the SSadmin's requirements cover employers who
pay SocSec on your paycheck. 
   The most commanly known organizations which have express written
consent include:
   1) The United Sates Armed Services:
      Besides the usual requirements, your Serial Number is your SSN
   (this is relatively new, and did not apply to most of the Viet Nam
war).
   2) The Internal Revenue Service:
      The IRS can use your SSN as your Taxpayer Identification Number
(TID). However, there is a little-known loophole to crawl through,
called "Religious Objector", somewhat like the CO status in the 
military. I don't know the full details of this, but I am checking
up on it.
   3) Various para-military outfits:
      The Veteran's Administration and other post-military institutions
get to require the SSN, since it was your military Serial number.

   4) Banks et. al.:
   The income from an interest-bearing account (which covers most of
them, these days) must be reported to the IRS. The institution holding
the account is required to get your taxpayer ID number.

   Borderlines:
   A lending institution is NOT required to have your SSN for any
bank loan (although this may have changed in the last two years).
The report of interest you receive at the end of the year is NOT
reported to the IRS. IThe bank does not report the amount in detail
as income; the report you get (the 1099 form) is for yourr personal
convenience. The IRS certainly doesn't care if you don't choose to
deduct it.
   Generally, an organization asking for your SSN must either state
that it is optional or cite the law allowing them to require it.
This notice must be given befroe or when the number is requested
(the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is presently defending two
lawsuits entered because they give notification after the fact).
The major exception to this is that the organization is NOT required
to point out the difference between the TID and the SSN: if the TID
is required, they may ask for the SSN and cite the law covering that.
   It is legal for a company to accept the SSN as a possible means of
identification, but they must supply "reasonable" alternatives, such
as  the Driver's license number, a major credit card number, etc.
They cannot refuse you reasonable service on these grounds. They are
not entitled to the SSN any more than to your underwear color, religious
preference, or any other personal information about you. All they are
allowed is reasonable assurance that you are who you say you are
Note that they can only do this for extraordinary conditions, such
as when you pay by check or some other medium just short of legal
tender..
   T.F. Prune (Bill Wickart)