Do you give your phone # to stores???

[BigDave]

I'm not joking.

Wouldn't having one number for one person make credit report problems less likely? I haven't had any credit report problems in the past 20+ years that I have been queried from my SSN on numerous transactions. Last check had my FICO at 795. It started in the Navy, my SSN was my serial number and it was used for EVERYTHING. This may sound a bit radical to some, but I'm in favor of a national ID card. You are who you are and that's it.

 

[Bird]

Dave, I suspect all our social security numbers are out there so many places that giving it one more place won't make a lot of difference. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Last week a neighbor gave me a check for just $15 and I later cashed it at her bank instead of mine because it was much closer. I went to the drive-in window and presented the check and my drivers license to start with, and the cashier asked for my social security number before cashing the check. That was a new one to me.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Dave & Bird, I started this thread and now have been watching as it morphed and I guess I see the SS# issue differently than the telephone number issue so let me weigh in with a different perspective. I don't give out my phone number becauase the only people I want calling me are my relatives or friends. They have my number and that is fine. When I get home I want to be left alone with my family, I don't want telephone solicitations, I don't want random calls, etc. I want my privacy at home.

ON THE OTHER HAND, the SS# issue is something that I view differntly because it is simultaniously MORE and LESS intrusive. With my SS# you cannot call me and pester me (again the reason I don't give out my phone #). But you can dig into my credit --both for legitimate and illigetimate reasons. You can probably find my address if you have my SS#, but then if you do, and you are a business, I doubt you'll send someone out to knock on my door to try to sell me something. Giving my phone # has led to businesses selling the phone number to telemarketers. Giving my SS# has not led to an increase in solicitations on my doorstep. So I will, for some services, give my SS# number (like to the insurance company), but I am selective about that. Just my perspective on the current topic.

 

[rozett]

After 30 years in the computer industry, I have come to the conclusion that most people do not really appreciate how prolific and dangerous the personal information databases are. With a very few exceptions, there are few laws protecting that information. Insurance companies are free to sell that information to anyone they wish.... and some do.

The federal government now requires that any organization with personal information must have a published privacy policy. But in fact, that is absolutely useless because all they need to do to change the policy is publish a new one. Consumers that provide information, willingly or not, have no recourse when that happens.

As an example, I used to purchase a lot of books from Amazon.com. Amazon had a published privacy policy that said they would not share your information with anyone. One day they changed their business model to partner with other firms and begin selling things other than books (like cookware, etc). They published a new policy saying that they would share your personal information with their business partners. So Amazon gave all of their business partners my CC numbers, spending habits, and lists of the kind of books I bought. As the consumer, I had no recourse. Now, I will not buy anything from Amazon, nor any company that advertises that they are partnered with Amazon.

Another example, a couple of years ago, during the dot.com bust, there was one company in California that was in bancrupcy and the only thing left of value was their customer database. There was a big legal battle because the creditors were trying to sell it for maximum value. while some of the customers were trying to protect their info.

Given your SS number and a day or two, I can find out an awful lot of information about you... including what autos you drive, where you bank, where your kids live, etc, etc. am just very protective of private information because once you provide it, you have no control over where it goes.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="green"> Given your SS number and a day or two, I can find out an awful lot of information about you... including what autos you drive, where you bank, where your kids live, etc, etc. </font>

And that is why I have my credit cards billing address as a PO Box # and use my office as my "ship to" address. I doubt if you could STOP a determined person from getting just about anything and everything. But you can slow down, deter, frustrate and make it non cost effective for legitimate businesses to track you down for the purposes of solicitation.

 

[BigDave]

I guess I'm not too concerned about protecting my privacy. Ring my phone, it's my choice to answer or not. If someone calls and caller ID doesn't say Grandma or something like that, I'm not answering. Knock on my door, again it's my choice to answer or not. If two young males wearing white shirts and ties are at the door, I'm not answering. Send me spam, and my filters will remove it. Even if the spam gets through, if I don't know the sender, then it's getting deleted unopened. Put me on lists & send me your catalogs, I actually like catalogs. If I don't like it, I'll put in the recycle bin. If you send me a letter with a return address that I don't know, it's getting recycled unopened. I figure it's nearly impossible from keeping the world from knowing who you are today, but it's my choice if I choose to not to acknowledge the uninvited guests.

 

[neilly2]

I'm proud of your fico score, but credit worthiness was not the point of the post.

Exactly, you'd think one number = one person. Try having a SS# one digit different from someone with a similar name. I spent 4 years clearing that one up. I know three other people that have had that happen.

You can post your SS# for all I care, but I was just giving you a friendly warning. You may be mellow regarding visitors/callers but if a criminal gets that SS# you can kiss that 795 fico score goodbye.

 

[BIGUN]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Last week a neighbor gave me a check for just $15 and I later cashed it at her bank instead of mine because it was much closer. I went to the drive-in window and presented the check and my drivers license to start with, and the cashier asked for my social security number before cashing the check. That was a new one to me. )</font>

I went to cash a check from the sale of a truck at the buyer's bank. I don't remember if they wanted a SS# but I was sure surprised to be fingerprinted before they would give me the cash. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Junkman]

[quote
I went to cash a check from the sale of a truck at the buyer's bank. I don't remember if they wanted a SS# but I was sure surprised to be fingerprinted before they would give me the cash. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )</font>

She recogonized you from your picture hanging in the post office. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

Yep, Bigun, a few years ago my Matco Tool distributor brother had a commercial account at a big bank and he wrote me a check for some air tools I'd repaired for him, I went to the drive-in window to cash it, and they told me I'd have to come inside to cash it, so I did, and they wanted just one thumb print.

 

[Junkman]

I had a check insurance company back in the early 1970's for my store that used the same system. You would put your thumb print on a colorless ink pad and then put your thumb on the check. It would then be sprayed with a product that would make the thumb print legible. Even though the customer would get their thumb print back with their check, there was so much resistance to the program, that we gave it up in less than a month. It wasn't worth the lost business to push the issue. Most people look at checks as being the same as cash. A check is nothing more than a promise to pay when you accept it. In MA, where my stores were located, it is just about impossible to collect on a bad check. We now use Telecheck for for all check acceptance and it is electronically transfered from the customers account to the Telecheck corporate account and then they do a bulk deposit to our checking account the next day. The entire process takes approximately 48 hours from the time of acceptance of the instrument. The only down side is the cost of the equipment. It costs about $800 and they change equipment design every 3 - 4 years. I see it as a cost of doing business. The same as accepting Master Card/Visa/Discover... American Express.... well, that is another discussion for another day. We no longer accept that card except from a few select old customers.... and that is a violation of their terms of service, but I don't care. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[YanmarFever]

Big Dave
If you are not to concerned about your social security #
Why dont you post your # here --- -- ----& see how long your credit will last.
Yours truly, PT. Barnum /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[BigDave]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm proud of your fico score, but credit worthiness was not the point of the post. )</font>

My point was after 20 years of not giving people a hard time over requesting my SSN, I haven't suffered any ill-effects. I bet my blood pressure is a few points lower, since I don't let the use of my SSN aggravate me.

 

[gws]

I DONT give my SSN to anyone except those who have a financial need to know. I even had it removed from my drivers license. I hate that my SSN is part of my medical records, I wish there was somthing else, but when it comes to giving our SSN to buy something no way.

 

[BigDave]

553780081

Loan me $25,000 at less than prime rate & I'll give my name, address, phone number, employer, salary, closest living relative's info & my SSN. Give me a couple million in life insurance for a below market rate and you can know everything about me, including every ailment that I ever had. Hell, I would even give you a DNA sample if it made you happy. Give me a security or banking job & I'll let you put me on a polygraph. On smaller scale, if you want to sell me a Mitre saw, and want to use my phone number as an account number that's okay, since I'm not likely to forget it.

There's a difference between doing business and non-business related disclosures. If my next door neighbor asked for my SSN or my mother's maiden name I wouldn't share it with him.

Speaking of suckers, does anyone recognize that number?

 

[Junkman]

Dave....... don't take the membership to task on locating you. I don't know how it was done, but someone figured out my full name and address and even was able to locate my birthday. They then posted it on the site for all to see. When I saw this, I immediately asked the moderator(s) to delete it. I don't try to hide, but the last thing that I wanted on a public site that is constantly "crawled" by Google is my personal information. I was extremely ticked that a member would even think of posting this information on TBN. I know that if you do a Google search for Bob Shurka, you will find many places that he has posted to other web forums.

 

[YanmarFever]

Sorry Dave
life is to short to mess with it.
Besides Im not a crook a bankster or an insurance peddler.
Im just a happy tractor OWNER in the sticks

 

[BigDave]

Junkman,

Challenge, I don't see no stinkin' challenge. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks, advice taken. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I used to think my SSN was something I owned, but the Navy beat that out of me. It was used for everything. If I wanted to check the table-tennis paddles out for a game in the rec club, they need my SSN. In the chow line, when you showed your ID, they would tell you where you were born, based upon your SSN number. Anyone who needed to see my ID, say for a military discount at a local store, got to see my SSN. After a few years, it was no longer a secret decoder number between me & the IRS.

Back to the original thread subject. My parents always had an unlisted number, and were upset whenever they had a sales call. They somehow felt violated. I learned from that, & just don't talk to stranger on the phone. It saves a lot of aggravation. I don't argue with the telemarketers. I don't argue with the kid a Best Buy who wants my number. I give them my number and then ignore them when they use it. Caller ID is the single best improvement to my quality of my in many years, not sure how I got by without it.

 

[MicroPilot]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Yep, Bigun, a few years ago my Matco Tool distributor brother had a commercial account at a big bank and he wrote me a check for some air tools I'd repaired for him, I went to the drive-in window to cash it, and they told me I'd have to come inside to cash it, so I did, and they wanted just one thumb print. )</font>

I never could quite figure out what the thumbprint was supposed to prove. If you've never been in trouble with the law before, or in the military or law enforcement, it isn't going to be worth anything to the bank. I guess if the check you were cashing was bogus, they could tell the FBI, "Yep, we got his thumb print!" and be happy about that! Do you really think the banks have the ability to check thumb prints somehow?

As far as SSN, Nobody gets mine except banks, IRS, and Insurance, oh, and maybe the state. If someone other than these organizations ask, I'll explain that I don't feel comfortable providing this info, and ask if there is some other means they can use to identify me. Some places do have this ability, but you have to ask first.

Something else about SSN's is that it's only the last 4 digits that are important. Given this and your address and an idea of how old you are, it's very possible to "guess" at the remaing digits. The place where I work wanted people to use the last 4 digits of the SSN as v-mail passwords. I was OK with this until I found out that our v-mail vendor was going to have access to this info. I insisted that I be allowed to use some other number for the v-mail p-word.

Since I only have dial-up internet, I have a 2nd phone line that will NEVER be answered, and that is the number I'll give out. Another trick I use is my phone number with a different area code.

When signing for stuff bought with a credit card at the electrnic register doohickey's I'll usually sign some politicians name, or as Bird said, just a wavy line or two. Never had anyone even give a second glance. I have had cashiers keep my card and compare signatures on paper receipts, which I don't mind, because if my card was stolen, they may have just recovered my card, and kept their business from taking a loss. This doesn't happen often though.

WOW, what a long post. I guess I shouldn't post while under the influnce of Jim Beam!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> "I have had cashiers keep my card and compare signatures on paper receipts" </font>

Two things here.

A friend of mine boldly print SEE PHOTO ID on the signature line of all of his credit cards. If you're concerned about someone using (physically, not online, etc.) your stolen card, you might want to do that, too.

As to checking signatures, I had an unusual experience years ago entering a secure area on a military base. I had been given the appropriate pass which I presented to the armed guard. He examined it then presented me with a clipboard and told me to sign, which I did.

When I handed it back to the guard, he turned over my pass to compare the signatures. Unfortunately, I never knew there was a place for my signature so I'd never signed it. The guard told me I hadn't signed my pass and handed it back to me. I had visions of having to go through the whole process of getting the pass again. Instead of just giving up, I reached into my pocket, grabbed my pen, signed it and handed it back to him.

He took it, dutifully compared the two signatures he'd witnessed inside of a minute and, duly satisfied they matched, allowed me to enter. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif