From: Bill Stewart <stewarts@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 10:25:08 +0800
To: MSproul <cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Credit Card might-as-well-equal SSN
In-Reply-To: <v03110733b03b5992b87f@[139.167.130.247]>
Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19970910184123.00687218@popd.ix.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



>Today I went to the local U-Haul to rent a small trailer to move a lawn
>tractor. In the course of filling out the rental agreement I was asked for
>my drivers license then asked for my social security number which I refused
>to give. (Texas does not have SSN on the driver's license) The agent then
>asked for a credit card, which I was planning to use to charge the rental.
>During the subsequent discussion the agent told me that since the Oklahoma
>bombing if they don't get a SSN they are required to to get a credit card
>number as a second form of identification. They can then get the SSN from
>the credit card issuer.
>Questions: Is this for real?  How wide spread is this?  What does U-Haul do
>with your SSN? How difficult is it for someone (company) to get your SSN
>when you use your credit card?

Did you ask if it was a U-Haul requirement or a Texas one?

If you've ever given your SSN when applying for a credit card,
you can be pretty sure they've got your SSN in the credit report.
Perhaps if you've got a secured debit card of some sort
you've been able to keep it separate from your other credit history,
if any, but most people have slipped at least once, or had an account
at a bank that collected the SSN for tax reasons and then included it
in credit reports.

What U-Haul actually does with it is probably just keeping the
credit card number on file, since actually doing a credit report
would cost them more money than they want to spend on you
unless you haven't returned the trailer or there's a big kaboom.
They may also sell the transaction record data they do have.