[Jewelry making - Article 00205] - Re: [Orchid] Whether or not to get a tax id

[John Sexton]

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Ray;  

    I can applaud your Statement but I would like to say in rebuttal to 

>     but it takes just a bit more information than just an SS# to steal
>     someone identity.

    As far as your statement goes it is true that JUST a SS number will
    not allow someone to steal your Identity. However with you SSN and a
    few computer hacking skills aonyone has what they need most to
    represent themselves as you in order to gain the rest of the info to
    steal your Identity.I'm old enought that my SSN card plainly states.
    "DO NOT USE FOR IDENTIFICATION". How many places have your SSN? DMV,
    Hospital, Bank, Courts and some legal Documents. Many others also
    file your information in their file system with a cross refference
    between what ever ID# they may give you with your SSN.Now someone
    call in or hacks in and says "Gee I've lost me ID# can you give me a
    new one?" Yes Mr. Smith but first I need to verify your ID. Could
    you please give my your SSN and birthdate please?" I provide those
    pieces of info now they are more than happy to help me. Now with
    that new ID number and the SSN, Birth date, from your birth
    certificate that I got by using your name and SSN to the state
    records for vital statistics /Birth. I have infact just stolen your
    ID and can represent myself as you any place I want to that does not
    have a picture ID of you or youFingerprints or DNA on file or other
    Bio-metric scans to positively ID thereal you from the phony.Would
    you agree that I just stole your ID? And all I had to begin with was
    your name and SSN.Ray I am not saying this as any kind of put down.
    But like many other things in our business there are many
    misconseptions floating around. In this case it is that just your
    SSN is not enough to steal your ID. By itself if all you have is SSN
    #123-45-6789. with out a name you are probably 99.99% correct. I
    haven't found the way yet to convert a raw number into a name. If
    some enterprising bad nick ever does, and that is the.01% chance.
    Ten all bet would be off. Before starting my retirement to
    Silversmithing I spent 19+ years with IBM. I was always amazed at
    what could be done to bypass computer security. 

    Or building security for that matter. Example Mag card reader
    security access to buildings easily bypased with a tab card and a
    piece of magnetic media tape. Hack into the main computer download
    the security ID from someone who works there, whose SSN you just
    happen to have aquired. Write the neccessary date that you
    downloaded to the mag media. go to the door swipe the bogus card and
    OPEN SESSAME.So please everyone Protect your infor mation. I don't
    care how trivial you might think it is. Protect it or shred it, burn
    it, or what ever to not let that info into anyone elses hands. That
    is the surest way to help protect your Identity. And even that might
    not be enough protection from the enterprising badnicks.Sorry for
    the long wind but I fell this is a very important and timely
    issue.AS usual all disclaimers and this is only MHO. 

John (Jack) Sexton
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