PR - 89 Percent Want Restrictions on the Use of Social Security Numbers

 
As Congress and federal regulators consider proposals aimed at reducing the risk of identity theft, a national poll by the Consumer Reports National Research Center reveals that an overwhelming majority of Americans want lawmakers to restrict the use and availability of Social Security numbers by businesses and government agencies.

According to the poll, 89 percent of Americans agree that state and federal lawmakers should pass laws restricting the use of Social Security numbers. Social Security numbers are particularly sensitive information because they can provide the key to unlocking a consumer’s financial identity.

The poll revealed that 87 percent of consumers have been asked in the past year to provide their Social Security number in whole or in part by a business or government agency. Requests come from a wide variety of businesses for purposes beyond credit, employment, or tax compliance. Many requests come from businesses that have no clear need to collect these numbers.

"The widespread use of Social Security numbers has made it easier for crooks to commit fraud and contributes to the estimated 10 million cases of identity theft every year," said Jeannine Kenney, Senior Policy Analyst with Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. "It’s time to restrict the availability of Social Security numbers to prevent this sensitive information from falling into the hands of identity thieves."

Consumers Union released the poll results in comments filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is studying the collection and use of Social Security numbers by the private sector. Several pending congressional proposals would restrict the sale, purchase, and display of Social Security numbers. Consumers Union recommends that the sale and purchase of the numbers be tightly restricted and that solicitation be prohibited except where required by law or where needed for credit, employment, tax compliance, or investment purposes. For a copy of Consumers Union’s comments to the FTC with the poll results, see: http://www.consumersunion.org/pdf/RestrictSSNs.pdf

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey using a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. 1,016 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+. Interviewing took place over August 16-19, 2007. The margin of error is +/- 3.1% at a 95 percent confidence level.