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From: midkiff@uiuccsb.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Social Security Number - (nf)
Message-ID: <26900006@uiuccsb.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 5-May-84 22:19:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiuccsb.26900006
Posted: Sat May  5 22:19:00 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 7-May-84 00:43:57 EDT
References: <6764@gatech.UUCP>
Lines: 17
Nf-ID: #R:gatech:-676400:uiuccsb:26900006:000:713
Nf-From: uiuccsb!midkiff    May  5 21:19:00 1984

#R:gatech:-676400:uiuccsb:26900006:000:713
uiuccsb!midkiff    May  5 21:19:00 1984

While working at the Department of Human Resources in Kentucky we
used SSNs for identifying clients of both federal and state programs.
When I asked someone why we could use the SSN for identification on state
programs he said that it was because at one point you could use SSNs
legally for identification.  When it was made illegal to use them for
this purpose a grandfather clause was added to the law so that
existing data bases would not have to be revamped.
 
This may explain why a previously mentioned credit bureau can get away
with using SSNs as identification, and why most universities use 
SSNs as id numbers.
 
                      Sam Midkiff
                      {pur-ee | ihnp4}!uiucdcs!midkiff