Social Security Number Records

Section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act, codified as 42 U.S.C. 405 (c)(2) allows for provision of a  Social Security Number or (SSN) to be issued to those in the United States who are citizens, permanent residents, or temporary working residents. An agency of the United States Federal Government entitled Social Security Administration issued the numbers to individuals, with the primary objective of tracking individuals for the purpose of taxation. In its recent history however the Social Security Number has evolved into a de facto number for national identification. In order to obtain a social security number one must apply on Form SS-5, which is entitled "Application for a Social Security Number Card".

Originally the purpose of the number was to monitor and administer individual’s accounts relating to the Social Security program, but has subsequently become to be used in the identification of people within the United States. Often organizations will index their employee records, student records, patient records etc. by Social Security Number. The number has furthermore been used by the U.S. military for the identification of its personnel since 1969. Social Security Number records are therefore widely kept in all areas of societies whether in public or private organizations.

Identity theft is a contentious issue surrounding the maintenance of Social Security Number Records. There are those, individuals and privacy advocate groups, concerned about the storing, utilization, and transmission of Social Security Numbers records. Frequently, criminals will use stolen Social Security Numbers in claiming false identities as the number is so interconnected between many other types of id systems, and because of its putative status as an identity authenticator. It is required by banks and financial institutions to create bank accounts, set up credit cards, and in applying for loans. This is the case because it is assumed that only the person to whom the Social Security Number has been issued will know the number, however this, especially in the light of what we now know about identity theft, is a naive basis for operating.

Many critics of the SSN card system cite the fact that it contains no biometric data as the primary reason for its widespread abuse. It is essentially an impossibility to ascertain whether the identity of the holder of the Social Security Number card matches the individual to whom it was originally issued. The United States congress has proposed reform in the shape of increased federal regulation on the restriction of Social Security Numbers usage for identification and the complete banning of their use in commercial transactions.

Therefore it is imperative to realize that your Social Security Number is more than a useful tool necessary to interact with state services and provide proof of identity in commercial dealings, but also a piece of abstract data stored in numerous interconnecting government and private databases. This Social Security Number records are a potential liability and must be approached with caution. The advice from the Social Security Administration is that one should, if requested to provide one's Social Security Number, ask which law requires its use. If the organization in question cannot provide an appropriate answer then the number should not be disclosed.