Thefts of Social Security ID rising fast

DesertNews ^

[Happy2BMe]

Thefts of Social Security ID rising fast By Pat Reavy Deseret News staff writer

Retirement has not started off easily for Frances Stone. Her biggest problem so far has been convincing the government that she lives in Utah, not California. Stone's wallet was stolen in 1991. Almost immediately the woman who allegedly stole her wallet used Stone's credit cards. Stone, 70, took care of the problem and thought that was the end of it. But in 1992, Stone noticed her Social Security checks were getting smaller. After some investigating, Stone discovered that the woman who allegedly took her wallet, an illegal immigrant, had gotten a job and was earning wages using her Social Security number. The government thought Stone was earning more money than she really was. Now, 10 years later, the problem still hasn't been settled. Each year Stone's Social Security checks are cut, and each year she has to go through a lot of red tape to prove somebody else is using her Social Security number. And each year it takes three to four months' worth of phone calls and letter writing to get the matter cleared up.

"Every year I have to go through the same thing of writing all these letters and sending them to the IRS and Social Security. I guess I'm getting too old because this is beginning to be a hassle," Stone said with a chuckle. "After the first few years I did it I thought it would get cleared up. But it didn't."
      Stone's situation highlights a growing problem in the fight against identity fraud.
While stealing checks and credit card applications from mailboxes and trash bins remains the most common form of identity theft in Utah and the nation, assuming someone else's identity by stealing their Social Security number and birth date is growing rapidly.
      "It's a major problem. There are a half-million new cases of identity theft in the nation each year," said Ron Ingleby with the Utah Office of the Inspector General.
      In Stone's case, the woman allegedly using her Social Security number recently opened an account at a major department store in California using her own name but Stone's address.
      Stone said it has been a frustrating experience.
      "When you work on (clearing it up) all day and lay awake thinking about it all night, it's just . . . ack!" she said.
      The Social Security Administration announced a series of initiatives in June already under way or about to be implemented to combat the problem.
     

• Social Security numbers will no longer be issued to non-citizens for the sole purpose of obtaining a driver's license.
       

• More verification will be done with states and the Immigration and Naturalization Service of people applying for a Social Security number.
       

• An online system will be available for employers to verify the names and Social Security numbers of new employees.
        Beginning Jan. 2, 2004, Social Security numbers will no longer be printed on checks from the U.S. Treasury. Ingleby said the number used to be displayed in the window of the envelope.
        Another common way for thieves to steal someone's vital personal information is through public records. Many of those public records are picked up by companies that sell the information on the Internet.
        "A lot of that is public information. There's not a lot of litigation to protect us," said Lt. Kelly Wuthrich with the Utah Criminal Investigations Division. "Every time you make a large purchase, such as a house or car, that information will be shared.
        "Public information is so widespread and easy to get, it's tough to protect ourselves," he said.
        One thing citizens can do is not give out their Social Security number or vital information on the phone, Wuthrich said. Another piece of advice is to properly dispose of all important documents.
        "Three words: shred, shred, shred," Wuthrich said.
        California lawmakers are doing what they can to combat the problem. Wednesday, Gov. Gray Davis signed bills banning the state from selling databases containing mothers' maiden names and Social Security numbers and from posting them on the Internet.
        The California Newspaper Publishers Association opposed the new law, saying the press needs access to verify the identification of people in their news reports.
        Another bill signed into law by Davis put restrictions on who has access to birth certificates.
       

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[Glenn]

Today's technology is advanced enough that a photo ID can be digitally placed in the swipe portion of any card, and any modified reader can view the image.

And technology is so widely available, the image could be replaced just as easily. The frauds are always two steps ahead of the mud-footed government.

[Happy2BMe]

"The frauds are always two steps ahead of the mud-footed government."

Now who is it that benefits most from social security fraud?

The illegal immigrants are always two steps ahead of the mud-footed government.

[Bikers4Bush]

If a loved one passes away you need to check and make sure their SS is not being used as well.

As odd as it may sound it takes a significant amount of time for the fact that the SS being used belonged to someone who has died shows up on the radar.

[azhenfud]

That's right. BTW, your tag line says volumes.

[N. Theknow]

When my brother first moved to California he got his driver's license, looked at the number and asked the clerk why the state didn't just use the Social Security Number instead.

Her reply, "It wouldn't work in California, there are too many people."

[garden variety]

If you want to buy a fishing or hunting license in Oregon, you are required to furnish your SS#. Then they enter it into their computer. This has been the procedure for the past year or so. If you refuse, they will not issue your license. Given the rise of identity fraud you have to wonder what bonehead came up with this idea.

[azhenfud]

ROTFLOL!!
That is TOO FUNNY!! LOL!!

[spectre]

Now, reading Michelle Malkin is someone I can relate too :~)

As I said...I am totally against Illegal immigration. Bush should reconsider the whole issue.

sw

[ought-six]

Gee, her SS card was stolen by an illegal alien and used by same to rip her off. But I thought these hard-working illegals were only doing the jobs Americans didn't want?

[ought-six]

"The primary opposition to identifying illegal immigrants with a social security card has come from conservatives who object to turning the SS number into a national identity card."

B*lls**t! It comes from liberals who do not want to crack down on illegal aliens.

[sweetliberty]

I guess nobody told her that she is benefitting by havng this illegal immigrant here. She is doing a service to her country and providing a service by allowing an American employer to hire someone to do a job no American will do. She needs to sit down and shut up and be happy that HER money is giving someone else a chance at a better life. And not to worry, all that social security money will eventually be paid out....to Mexico. < /sarcasm >

[Happy2BMe]

BREAK TIME:

When my brother first moved to California he got his driver's license, looked at the number and asked the clerk why the state didn't just use the Social Security Number instead.

Her reply, "It wouldn't work in California, there are too many people."

[sweetliberty]

"Why is this upstanding character not (a) in jail or (b) deported?"

What a racist, xenophobic isolationist you are. < /sarcasm >

[sweetliberty]

"The answer: because the illegals could no longer be able to use stolen SSNs."

Yet an American doing it would be charged with a felony and tried in federal court.

[sweetliberty]

"I vote for arresting the sob who is using the stolen number."

We can't do that. Vincente Fox would object.

[RJS1950]

BS back at ya, it comes from both ends of the spectrum.

[international american]

"About the best thing you can do today is to put a "fraud alert" on all your credit history accounts BEFORE anything happens"

Absolutely. This is very important!!
Good post.

[zeugma]

Just how incompetent does a government have to get before you can fire it?

I believe you forgot the "at" that goes between the word "fire" and "it".

Just doing my bit to help the world.

[Elric@Melnibone]

The victim should be instantly give a new SSN and full credit and the old SSN voided.

Whoops, sorry, no, major BAD idea (even though it is an often given piece of advice).

Do you have ANY idea how much of your life is tied to that SSN? Not just taxes and socialist security, but your education history, your medical history, your credit history, your job history...

Imagine going to a job interview with your new SSN; they want to offer you a job and do a quick verification on your history. What they find is no educational record and no job history at previous employers. As far as schools and prior employers are concerned, you (meaning the new SSN) never attended or worked there. Your prospective employer will consider you a cronic liar. You won't get a job offer.

And forget about applying for a credit card, a car loan or a mortgage. Your new SSN has no credit history and the only thing worse than a bad credit history is NO credit history.

The only way to head off these kinds of problems would be to pre-emptively explain you have a newly-issued SSN and why. And, if you're going to do that, just explain that you are a victim of identity theft. You'll end up doing that anyway and you'll actually cut your explainations in half.

By the way, don't try this with a judge. Read a story about a case in Seattle about a woman who was a victim of identity theft and had been fighting the repercussions of it for several years. She had to go to court because a warrant had been issued against her for failure to pay a fine levied against the identity thief. She tried to explain to the judge what was going on and he didn't want to hear it. "You're here. You pay the fine."

[Happy2BMe]

"Yet an American doing it would be charged with a felony and tried in federal court."

Illegal immigrants have and are being tried for felonies committed in the United States.

California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and other states have quite a population of illegal migrants there for felonies.

The illegal migrant population in some prisons is over twenty percent of the total prison populations.

Just another item for the tax payer to pick up. Just another example of our secure borders.