Really Lady? Are you trying to get your identity stolen?

[Eevie]

So the other day I'm working in my Aquarium gift shop and this was an event that leaves me wondering a good several days later...

Whenever someone makes a purchase with card, we ALWAYS check for ID. Mine is such an automatic reaction by this point that as soon as a card is in my hand, credit card or gift card (which has no information to the customer's name), I immediately ask. It must be picture ID, so drivers' license, military ID, etc., etc..

A young woman came to my register, with a small purchase and hands me her card. I ask for picture ID and....

She shows me her social security card...

And this wasn't just tucked away in a hidden pocket in her purse. No. It was in a clear slot, on the side of her purse, where anyone could see it. I couldn't accept it, since it didn't have her picture. And she had a normal license as well, why she didn't show that to me instead, I'll never know.

But really now, my SSC is one thing I'd never let leave the darkest corner of my home; much, much less have it on display on the side of my purse.

My coworkers have been remarking about how I always seem to get the weird customers. Perhaps there's something to that...

[KatherineB]

We don't have SSCs in Australia so the significance of one wouldn't really occur to me. Perhaps (trying to be charitable) she has only just got one and doesn't realise that it shouldn't be Out In Public?

[wolfie]

She shows me her social security card...

And she had a normal license as well, why she didn't show that to me instead, I'll never know.

Is Texas (you've set your profile to display "Texas" as your location in your posts) one of the many states that uses your SSN as your driver's license #? If so, then she didn't expose any critical information that showing her license wouldn't have.

[Eevie]

Well, it is a form of ID, yes. But not one you need to be showing to people. The few times you would need to have it with you are very few and far in between. for instance, getting a driver's license. This woman liscense also was a Texas ID, I didn't look at the renewal date or anything like that though, so I have no idea how long she's had it.

[MoonCat]

We don't have SSCs in Australia so the significance of one wouldn't really occur to me. Perhaps (trying to be charitable) she has only just got one and doesn't realise that it shouldn't be Out In Public?

Social Security numbers are now issued to Americans shortly after they're born (parents have to apply on their kid's behalf, IIRC). It's something that identifies an individual for their entire life and is used for tax purposes, among other things. If someone gets hold of another person's number, they have all they need to steal that person's identity - for ex., they can use it to apply for credit cards, and if the real owner has good credit, the ID theft gets a card in their name and can go on a crazed spending spree, and the real owner of that number ends up fighting the bill with Visa or whoever.

Not all states use that number for the driver's license number. I think NY used to, but doesn't anymore.

[Kittykat]

To be fair, she may have grabbed the wrong card.. I keep mine in the safety deposit box in the bank, as I know my number by heart.

[CrappyToHelp]

For the second time today, I might be being stupid, or just British, but what is a social security card?

[ADeMartino]

For the second time today, I might be being stupid, or just British, but what is a social security card?

Not a stupid question at all.

Social Security is (or at least WAS) basically a pension (funded by taxpayers and managed by government) for when you retire or are no longer able to work. You're issued a card (in the past, it was typically done as you matured to 'working' age, but in the past few decades it's issued shortly after birth) with a unique nine-digit number. In the past, the wisdom was you didn't reveal this number to anybody (except on tax and employment forms), but a lot o agencies and companies began asking for and using it as customer/client ID. It was even stamped on driver's licenses for a while, but recently that's changed back to not being on other official ID due to the potential for identity theft. When I was in the armed forces, it was my military serial number.

[otakuneko]

Is Texas (you've set your profile to display "Texas" as your location in your posts) one of the many states that uses your SSN as your driver's license #? If so, then she didn't expose any critical information that showing her license wouldn't have.

We're pretty stupid here in TX, but not that stupid.

Whenever someone makes a purchase with card, we ALWAYS check for ID.

And now I await your post about the SC who refused to show ID.

[Eevie]

To be fair, she may have grabbed the wrong card.. I keep mine in the safety deposit box in the bank, as I know my number by heart.

Nope. The card was displayed in a clear slot on the side of her purse, where a license should be. As in, someone sitting next to her could see the card and write down the info, easy. No, she fully knew what she was showing me. And when I said it wasn't acceptable ID, THEN she showed her driver's license.

Mom has secrets hiding spots for stuff like that. Not that I'll ever need the card to know my number, seeing as I've committed it to memory as well. Makes things easier when filling out any paperwork.

And now I await your post about the SC who refused to show ID.

It's happened before, but in the end, I get to be the one that cancels the entire transaction right there one the spot with one press of a button. If they have anything to say about it, manager will always side with me since that's procedure. It's wonderful.

[CrappyToHelp]

Not a stupid question at all.

Social Security is (or at least WAS) basically a pension (funded by taxpayers and managed by government) for when you retire or are no longer able to work. You're issued a card (in the past, it was typically done as you matured to 'working' age, but in the past few decades it's issued shortly after birth) with a unique nine-digit number. In the past, the wisdom was you didn't reveal this number to anybody (except on tax and employment forms), but a lot o agencies and companies began asking for and using it as customer/client ID. It was even stamped on driver's licenses for a while, but recently that's changed back to not being on other official ID due to the potential for identity theft. When I was in the armed forces, it was my military serial number.

It sounds like National Insurance here. It's used to build your right to things like the state pension and contribution-based unemployment benefit.

Lots of people here carry there card with them everywhere - it's strange how different our nations are, given they were the same at one point.

[emwithme]

It sounds like National Insurance here. It's used to build your right to things like the state pension and contribution-based unemployment benefit.

Lots of people here carry there card with them everywhere - it's strange how different our nations are, given they were the same at one point.

And some people lost their card (which is sent out about three weeks before your sixteenth birthday) before said sixteenth birthday but had already memorised the number by then.

[ADeMartino]

It sounds like National Insurance here. It's used to build your right to things like the state pension and contribution-based unemployment benefit.

Lots of people here carry there card with them everywhere - it's strange how different our nations are, given they were the same at one point.

Not so different. Except we drive on the 'right' side of the road.

[ComputerNecromancer]

The last time I had to replace my SS card, the replacement came with a big warning that you were *not* supposed to carry it around. That you should keep it somewhere safe and only take it with you when going to an appointment where you had to have it.

I rather expect that original issue cards have the same warning.

So she's an idiot.

[Naaman]

And some people lost their card (which is sent out about three weeks before your sixteenth birthday) before said sixteenth birthday but had already memorised the number by then.

I memorised mine when, after a brief period of unemployment, my last dole check got lost\stolen. Having to quote it every time I got shuffled through the phone system over the next few days...

Yeah - fun times