SOCIAL SECURITY STEPS UP DOCUMENT VERIFICATION TO HELP PRESERVE INTEGRITY OF NUMBERS

AP Breaking News ^ | 11 July 2002 | Leigh Strope

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Social Security Administration will soon start checking Immigration and Naturalization Service documents before issuing numbers and cards. James B. Lockhart III, deputy commissioner of Social Security, told a Senate Finance subcommittee Thursday that the new electronic verification process would start next week. The lack of such a system was a major criticism after Sept. 11, when officials initially thought terrorists had legally obtained Social Security numbers.

Social Security could not verify visa status or other immigration documents for all non-citizens because no system was available to do so in a reasonable amount of time. An enhanced system is being put in place, and if documents still can't be checked electronically, the job will be done manually. Last month, Social Security started verifying birth records submitted by U.S.-born citizens over age 1 applying for a Social Security number, Lockhart said.

The administration also is implementing a system that will assign Social Security numbers to new immigrants when the State Department approves an immigrant visa at a foreign service post and the INS authorizes entry. The first phase should be completed by year's end, Lockhart said. Social Security wants to make the numbers "less accessible to those with criminal intent as well as prevent individuals from using false or stolen birth records or immigration documents to obtain" them, he said.

Allegations of Social Security number fraud have increased from 11,000 to 65,000 from 1998 to last year. A bill by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Judd Gregg, R-N.H., would ban the sale or display of a person's Social Security number without his or her consent. Exceptions would be made for business and government operations. Starting in 2005, Social Security numbers would have to be removed from 11 public records before public release, including birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, occupational licenses, property records and court judgments.

But some companies have concerns that access to the numbers would be too restrictive. Government agencies, law enforcement, businesses and researchers rely on such information to do their jobs, said Norman Willox Jr., chief officer for privacy, industry and regulatory affairs for LexisNexis, the online information service. LexisNexis lets customers use the numbers as a search term, but prohibits the display of full numbers. That prevents people from discovering new numbers, but preserves the ability of people who already know a number to use it for identification purposes, Willox said.

The numbers have been used by LexisNexis customers to locate missing children, identify and prevent fraud, enforce child support obligations, find pension fund beneficiaries and assist with debt collection.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Here jump on this and debate instead of my plea for help. I hate being the source of controversy personally.

[rascal]

My Mother used to work in the PO Box section of the Post Office where people would come to pick up their Social Security checks. She told me that lots of people would come in with multiple SS numbers to claim multiple checks. Her PO supervisor told her it was none of her business and that as government employees they were forbidden to make judgements or report offenders. MY MOTHER HAS BEEN RETIRED FROM THE PO FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS!!! While illegals are a potential terrorist problem the fraud is probably far more rampant!! And our government is not interested in correcting the problem.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

.

[supercat]

And our government is not interested in correcting the problem.

Many liberals would rather raise taxes than cut fraud, because taxes are more than a revenue-raiser; they're a tool to keep the "little people" in their place.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

And our government is not interested in correcting the problem.

You have no idea how right you are. Well, most people who haven't worked for the feds or know someone who has have no idea....