From: nobody@shell.portal.com
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 94 19:43:25 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: RE: CreditCard info
Message-ID: <199408080244.TAA25091@jobe.shell.portal.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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Brian Lane <blane@squeaky.free.org> asked:

>  I filled out a credit app at Sears last month that asked for my SSN, I 
> didn't give it and didn't get credit either. What exactly is SS related 
> use? Banks, Employment only?

Employers are REQUIRED to obtain an SSAN for tax purposes, as are banks for
reporting interest, etc. to the IRS.  Regarding credit, they generally ask
for an SSAN because that's the "unique personal identifier" that most credit
bureaus index your records by (and still screw them up, even then!).

 --- Diogenes

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