Slashdot Mirror


Rectifying Social Security Identity Theft?

VxSote asks: "A 19 year old kid tried to buy a car only to find out his SSN had been stolen and used by a terrorist. Now, after talking to various government entities, he is no closer to having his (presumably) good name cleared. So this situation begs the question: how exactly does one go about fixing such a mess?"

9 of 87 comments (clear)

  1. MY solution by schnits0r · · Score: 5, Funny

    Okay, my advice, first and foremost, and the most important thing is you have to watch your breathing. That is critical to shot follow through. I would recommend the prone position as it allows the firearm of your choice to be equally balenced, as well as providing enough room to breathe without interupting the accuracy of the shot. When you have aquired your target, gently squeeze the trigger, as if you pull it too hard, your firearm will move too drasticly and you will miss the target. I do recommend you go for accuracy, over grouping, unless you want to merely startle them, then grouping would be okay. If you take my advice, not just for this sort of thing, but for everything, I can almost garuntee you will have the upperhand in most situations. Good luck, Schnits0r

  2. The first step... by Lazyhound · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...is to post the number here, so we know who we're trying to help.

  3. Don't use SSN's ever. by Oriumpor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Stop allowing companies, the federal, state and local governments to use your SSN for identification purposes, in any case when it doesn't match certain exemptions it MUST be optional. READ the back of your social security card, stay informed and if this isn't a case of a need to change your social security number, I don't know what is.

    1. Re:Don't use SSN's ever. by Detritus · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Notice the gaping loopholes. It also doesn't protect you from private entities that want your SSN as a condition of doing business with them, such as landlords, employers, banks, etc.

      --
      Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
  4. To set up his records straight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    He would need to join the terrorist organization. It would be easier than update multiple government databases.

  5. My identity was stolen on a Wells Fargo laptop. by Picass0 · · Score: 4, Interesting


    Recently Wells Fargo gave my Name, SSN, Address, Bank Account info, and other info about myself and my wife to a data miner who works in an office located behind a sports bar. The office of that contractor was burglarized, and a laptop was stolen containing the data on us and an undetermined number of people ranking in the thousands.

    The laptop was recovered after 30 days, found in the apartment of a known identity thief. I'm supposed to believe he never copied of shared the information. The laptop was located because it had AOL software on it. That laptop could have been penatrated even if it had never been stolen. Well Fargo information security at it's finest.

    All of my family's personal info in a nice, neat package for anyone to abuse. Not a fucking thing I can do about it beyond moving my business elsewhere. Which really doesn't solve the bigger problem, our personal and financial info drifting in the wind.

  6. Fighting Real Terrorism... by sabNetwork · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is ridiculous. After all this "war on terrorism" bullshit, all of the infringements on our civil rights, they still can't solve the most basic terrorism-related problems.

    This guy is basically saying, "Help me! I'm a victim of identity theft by a terrorist," and federal agencies respond with, "Sorry kid, can't help you, we're too busy tapping phones and reading email to deal with terrorism."

    What the hell is Homeland Security good for?
    --

  7. Re: Or move to Europe by anticypher · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I know several Americans who finally gave up, and moved themselves to Europe to start a new life. After Canada, London and Paris are the most popular destinations for economic refugees from the US. The current US system makes it impossible to for victims to buy major items, like houses or cars. Regular tax audits suck out all your energy. It becomes impossible to take a job with an employer who only pays salary via direct deposit when you can never open another bank account. Not having a credit card means you can't do many things like internet shopping.

    A few years ago I was talking with some US consular folks at a party, and they have a separate category for ex-pats who had to leave the US because they could no longer lead normal lives after ID theft. They call them "Forced Economic Migrants" or something similar. In France and England, the number is in the tens of thousands. That's just the number of people who bothered to register with the local embassies.

    I have an American friend here in Belgium who had his US SSN abused more than 20 years ago. After a few years of fighting with the data reporting agencies, losing his house and all his bank accounts in the process, he gave up and moved here. The case officer at the SS administration told him he would have a better life if he gave up, cashed out, moved to another country and started his life over again. Since millions of people all over the world do this every year, it isn't that difficult, but it does really fsck up your life for a few years. A few years is better than the rest of your life. He claims he is much happier now, in a country with a working health care system and a real appreciation for beer.

    His ex-wife tried to move back to the US in 2000, at the height of the boom, more than 15 years with no credit history in the US. But after 6 months of fighting with the credit reporting companies over the old data which is supposed to be deleted after 10 years, she is back here and swears never to go back except to visit family.

    the AC

    --
    Hemos is like...sci-fi fans;he thinks technology is cool, but he hasn't bothered to understand the science it's based on
  8. Do not do this at home.... by paulydavis · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If I was writing a book on how i would get congress to do something... I would get together(in the book) 20 or 30 hacktavists who were willing to go to jail to steal the identities of the entire US Senate and maybe some house memebers too. Lets see how fast the laws would change (in my books world). Any suggestions on a possible ending to this book.