Family Safety - Free Identity Theft Check - April 2007

The fact is that in the state of Michigan, the private Social Security numbers of Michigan citizens are becoming increasingly exposed in the public domain.

With Michigan and Federal Law not protecting the privacy of Michigan citizens’ Social Security numbers, it is up to each and every Michigan citizen to become educated and aware of the “how to’s” in protecting their own Social Security number.

A Social Security number is just the tip of the iceberg for criminals, who look for any way to exploit, steal and take advantage of trusting law abiding Michigan citizens who are unaware of the numerous public databases on the internet linking Social Security numbers to the names they belong to.

Any Michigan citizen’s Social Security number is the direct link to personally identifying them in government documents, credit applications and reports, medical records, bank and investment statements.

Although citizens of Michigan are told to protect their Social Security number in order to prevent identity theft, the reality of being able to actively and successfully guard their Social Security number from thieves on their own is no small task.

With over 240 million Social Security numbers associated with addresses, dates of birth, and maiden names in use, data thieves have every possible element they need to prey on Michigan citizens.

Social Security numbers are routinely traded and sold by the thieves over the Internet just like credit card numbers are. The Social Security numbers of each and every Michigan citizen is out in the open under the nose of any employee in any given financial or medical institution. While security is rarely an issue in financial institutions, it is a serious matter in the latter. Every Michigan dentist’s and doctor’s office has the private Social Security numbers of Michigan citizens. It is difficult to answer how safe these Social Security number are.

Unfortunately, due to lack of federal and state control, protection and prevention, the Social Security number has evolved into a personal identification document, although this was never what it was originally intended for back in November of 1936 when the Federal Government started issuing them as a means to track payments to the retirement system.

Soon after 1936, Social Security numbers were used to help track payrolls, loan payments, financial transactions and income taxes, and eventually, Social Security numbers became necessary for anyone seeking public assistance when getting food stamps or registering for the draft. Congress then decreed that the Social Security number be put on records including professional licenses, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees.

As if that wasn’t already enough, use of the Social Security number took on another form, allowing collectors of data to link pieces of information together like driver’s license record, credit report data and the information on the warranty card for any random appliance—very easy access for criminals.

Although Congress prohibited Michigan and other states from using Social Security numbers on driver’s licenses in 2004, the databases with those numbers still exist, and until 2001 Michigan and other states could sell lists with Social Security numbers on them. The result: any citizen in the state of Michigan 22 years or older has their name, address, phone number and Social Security number in any given private database.

Ironically, the same Social Security number which was intended to protect all that private information from criminals and offenders has become the very tool that is now used to exploit any innocent citizen living in Michigan.

To have further control over where, when and how your Social Security number is used, Michigan citizens can go to www.StolenIDSearch.com at no cost to check if their Social Security number is one that is compromised, or in a too-public domain.