| Comment Number: | 531096-00167 |
| Received: | 8/28/2007 9:43:14 AM |
| Organization: | Ulrich Litigation Support |
| Commenter: | Jordan Ulery |
| State: | NH |
| Agency: | Federal Trade Commission |
| Rule: | Private Sector Use of SSNs |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
I am both a Professional Investigator and a citizen member of the New Hampshire General Court [House] (R-Hillsborough-27). Wearing two hats gives me a perspective that not many others have. As a legislator the need of protecting one's identity is important and deserves some legislative review. Many people feel threatened, usually unjustifiably so, that their very lives are at risk if someone gets access to their SSN alone. As we both know, identity theft is not just the result of another knowng an SSN. Identity theft is often a function of carelessness of an individual in dealing with one's personal data. Other supporting information is also needed to effectively pull-off real ID theft. The biggest misuse of the SS number is not in identy theft per se, rather it is in the use of false or duplicate or deceased SSNs by workers who are legally unable to work in the United States. Verrification of SSNS by employers is a much more effective identity theft bar that restricting access to legitimate, licensed proessionals. It is a legitimate role of governmet to demand that gvernment issued SSNs are verfied to prevent criminal fraud, identity theft and help secure our national borders. Citizens will scream that their SSN is being usd by others, and at the same time will throw away a credit card bill with full personal details unaltered. The great bugaboo of an SSN loss will be raised and the personal calling out in alarm will leave his or her check book open in a public venue. It is not and never has nor ever should be the role of government to protect a citizen from the citizens own carelessness. That being said, limiting access to legitimate purposes of a federally issued number is administratively a good idea. The question then is what is legitimate purpose. Giving verification access to employers would be one legitimate purpose. In the United States today the SSN is the personal identifier used to locate persons and seperate John Jones from John Jones. Law Enforcement and more frequently the private investigator are those who look for witnesses, track down deadbeat parents, identify loan skippers, reconnect lost persons, run employment background checks, work with attornies in delvering subpoenas, summons, complaints in the civil sector and coutless other beneficial activities to all of society. The Private Investigator needs access to number for these and other legitimate purposes. In a free society the role of a private investigtor is essential. In fact the private investigator can not exist in a closed socialist or facist society, government does every thing. Keeping the private investigator effective and intact is a measure of just how free our society is. It is not now, nor should it ever be, the role of government to become involved in the daily activities of business or one's personal lives. Keep access to the essential personal identifier available to licensed prfessional investigators. If a member of our profession misbehaves, then use the full force of law to impale that person. Thank you for your attention to this missive. Hon. Jordan G. Ulery Ulrich Litigation Support and NH General Court - House Ways and Means Committee