No, they apply for 2nd mortgages on homes, using your information and credit to secure the loan. And then of course they never repay it, and the bank tries to foreclose on the home that the 2nd was taken out on, and when they find out that that person has no idea about any loan, they then go after you for repayment of the loan.
Eventually, the bank gives up, and then sells the paper to predators who then call your parents, your wife's parents, your brother, your sister, cousins, your boss, etc, who demand repayment, falsely claim lawsuits have been filed, or that papers are going to be served, etc.
I have been dealing with this for nearly 15 years now. Mostly because a local college decided to use SSNs as student ID numbers and PUBLISH a directory listing those numbers. It was eye opening to find out that I had sixteen different accounts open with SoCal Edison, that I had taken 2nds out on four different homes in two counties, and I don't even want to imagine how much unsecured credit was taken out; the credit report companies block you from finding out such information if you don't certify the right addresses.
Has anybody sued the college?
Oh, no, I just found out a week ago that my information was hacked along with many, many other people's, and the thieves have been busy opening multiple accounts in my name. I'm guessing this problem will never be resolved now... will it?
Wow
Mostly because a local college decided to use SSNs as student ID numbers
- - - - - -
The Ohio State University did that decades ago back when I attended. We even wrote our SSN is text books to be able to identify them if they were stolen.