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<tr><td><b>Comment Number: </b></td><td>531096-00136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Received: </b></td><td>8/27/2007 11:02:24 AM</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Organization: </b></td><td>Wizard Investigations</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Commenter: </b></td><td>Delbert Buttman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>State: </b></td><td>MD</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Agency: </b></td><td>Federal Trade Commission</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rule: </b></td><td>Private Sector Use of SSNs</td></tr>

<tr><td>No Attachments</td></tr></Table>

<hr><P><b>Comments:</b></p>I very much understand the reason for working to eliminate  identity theft, however, the current legitimate uses of the social security number should not be done away with.  Traditionally the individuals that steal and use socials are not lawyers, cops, private detectives, or other professiohnals.  The individuals that do that sort of thing are in the financial and retail world.  I hafe conducted important investigatoins for clients regarding child support/custody, criminal allegations, and of course identity theft.  


I did some pro bono work for a young lady who had her identity stolen resulting in her being arrested and brought to trial.  She ended up being one of the lucky ones.  The officer immediately said it was not her.  Subsequently, she made a complaint of ID theft with the same department and they have done nothing for her.  On 4 occasions they have declined to allow her to look at the mug shot of the real criminal.  This is a logical step.  When we are working on something like this in the private sector we do these things right away.


The problem of ID theft detection will not be improved by removing the private sector from the fray.  Denying those in the private sector access to social security numbers for the current permissible purposes will make the problem worse.  


Laws are needed to mandate the taking of complaints and investigation regarding the socials.  


Please do not take something that is not broken and make it worse.  </body></html>