Social Security Numbers: Federal Actions Could Further Decrease Availability in Public Records, though Other Vulnerabilities Remain, GAO-07-752, June 15, 2007: “Various public records in the United States, including some generated by the federal government, contain Social Security numbers (SSN) and other personal identifying information that could be used to commit fraud and identity theft. Public records are generally defined as government agency-held records made available to the public in their entirety for inspection, such as property records and court records. Although public records were traditionally accessed locally in county courthouses and government record centers, in recent years, some state and local public record keepers have begun to make these records available to the public through the Internet. While it is important for the public to have access to these records, concerns about the use of information in these records for criminal purposes have been raised.”
Social Security Numbers: Use is Widespread and Protection Could Be Improved, GAO-07-1023T, June 21, 2007: “Since its creation, the Social Security number (SSN) has evolved beyond its intended purpose to become the identifier of choice for public and private sector entities, and it is now used for myriad non-Social Security purposes. This is significant because a person’s SSN, along with name and date of birth, are the key pieces of personal information used to perpetrate identity theft. Consequently, the potential for misuse of the SSN has raised questions about how private and public sector entities obtain, use, and protect SSNs. Accordingly, this testimony focuses on describing the (1) use of SSNs by government agencies, (2) use of SSNs by the private sector, and (3) vulnerabilities that remain to protecting SSNs.”
Related:
“The Federal Trade Commission today told the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security [link to Witness List and Testimony] that to prevent thieves from obtaining consumers personal information, including Social Security numbers (SSNs), and using it to steal identities, government and businesses should collect only information that is necessary to meet clear legal or business needs, and protect the data they do collect. Other steps to reduce identity theft should include improved authentication techniques, which ensure that consumers are who they claim to be.”
In testimony (pdf) before the House Ways and Means Committee, EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg urged Congress to adopt legislation to address the misuse of the SSN and the growing problem of identity theft. Citing a recent report (pdf) from the Federal Trade Commission that finds that identity is the number one concern of American consumers, EPIC called for “strong and effective legislation that will limit the use of the SSN” and context-dependent identifiers “that will encourage the development of more robust systems for identification that safeguard privacy and security.”
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