When Social Security was introduced in 1935, privacy advocates of the era feared this number would eventually be used as a national identifier. Although Social Security cards plainly stated that the number was "Not for Identification," those nine digits have evolved into... well, let's just come right out and say it: your federal serial number.
Today, we face significant pressure to part with our Social Security number. No number? Then no job, no bank account, no driver's license. This number is widely circulated and available to anybody. The Internet will even unearth one for Microsoft founder Bill Gates (539-60-5125), since any officer of a public company is required to submit a Social Security number along with the company's SEC filings, which becomes public information. Like Warren Buffet, for example (579-40-8717).
In terms of privacy encroachment, the Social Security system has been a slippery slope-- in the wrong direction: In 1962, the IRS started requiring Social Security numbers on tax returns. By 1970, all banks were required to obtain them from customers. In 1971, mi1itary ID numbers were changed to Social Security numbers. Beginning in 1982, recipients of any sort of government program were required to obtain one. The final blow was struck in (how appropriate!) 1984: any person declared a dependent on an IRS return was suddenly required to have a Social Security number, resulting in millions of "kids" disappearing from their “parents” returns between tax years '84 and '85. Pre 1980's, you generally got a Social Security number in your teens in anticipation of your first job. Now, the application is part of the maternity ward's paperwork package.
Intend to keep your pursuit of privacy completely legal? Then retain Person of Record's Social Security number. But (just like his driver's license) use it judiciously, and strictly on a need-to-know basis. Except for banks (which are required to file documentation to the IRS) you have no obligation to disclose your Social Security number to any private company-- unless they're hiring you.
By federal law, any government agency (federal, state, or local) or state university accepting federal funds must tell you whether disclosure of your Social Security number is optional or required, what statute requires the number, how they intend to use it, and the consequences for refusal to cough it up.
If you're a do-it-yourselfer, the creation of a plausible Social Security number involves a bit more than dreaming up nine random digits then blocking them off with a couple of dashes. The numerical sequences and the manner in which they are arranged (xxx-xx-xxxx) indicate where and when the number was issued and whether or not it's valid.
The first chunk of a Social Security number (the "area" segment) is composed of three digits that indicate the state from which the number was issued (with the exception of the 700 series, which is reserved for special situations such as railroad workers). For example, numbers beginning with 523 or 529 were issued in Utah, which would expose the lie of a person claiming to have been born in Delaware-- for which the proper prefix would be 221 or 222. The middle segment (known as the "group" or "block" segment) consists of two digits keyed to the state and year of issue, breaking the numbers from each geographical area into groups. For example, if our Utahan had a Social Security number beginning with "528" and his middle digits were "23", these 5 digits, working together, signify a number issued in Utah in 1977. The last segment (the "serial" segment) consists of four digits and is used to serialize the 9999 numbers within each group. Dream up any four digits, plug them into this segment, and you'll have a number that will generally pass muster. But if the finished product is currently in use by another living American, you might have some explaining to do. Avoid this problem by verifying your new number through www.informus.com/ssnllkup.htnl. There is a small fee for this service.
A search on "Social Security number distribution" will reveal numerous websites providing tables needed to construct plausible numbers. Some key information along these lines (but not all oF it, unfortunately) is available from the Social Security Administration itself: www.ssa.gov/foia. Similar to using a birth certificate not originally issued to you, there is no penalty for giving a false Social Security number-- as long as there's no attempt to deceive a government agency, commit fraud, or obtain a specific benefit.
Although it's illegal for a private company to sell look-alike driver's licenses or state ID cards, the same does not hold true for Social Security cards. Several companies will print any Social Security number you designate on a card that looks similar to a government-issued one.
While it's possible to get a new Social Security number directly from the government, this is a daunting task. New numbers can be issued to abused individuals hiding from a vindictive ex (but be prepared to pony up plenty of official documentation), a person who has been relocated with a new identity under the Federal Witness Protection Program, or somebody who has been the victim of identity theft (and can prove it).
But being issued a new Social Security number-- like legally changing your name-- is of marginal benefit to privacy seekers. As with a legal name change, the new number will linked to the old, at least in government databases.
Back in the 1960's and 701s, draft dodgers seeking a fresh start could score a new number by crossing their fingers and telling Social Security they'd never been issued one in the first place. That their parents had been missionaries in the Congo or some such. But these days, computer databases make it extremely easy for the government (or anybody else) to vet dodgy backstories. Unlike the good old days, anybody eighteen or older who is seeking a first-time number is now required to appear in person at a local Social Security office (with their birth certificate) and sign a scary-looking affidavit certifying they've never been issued a card. You're also required to prove legal custody of any children for whom you are trying to obtain a number.
While counterfeit birth certificates can be purchased on the internet (or are easy enough to make), any attempt to use one to procure a new Social Security number will result in a rejection letter stating that the birth certificate cannot be verified.
Like so many other "Get A New ID' maneuvers, the classic method for obtaining a bootleg, government-minted Social Security number no longer works. Called the 'dead baby' method (charming name, no?) it involved obtaining the birth certificate of somebody close to your own age who'd died young. Armed with the birth certificate, you then applied for a Social Security number. But since these numbers have been issued in infancy since the 1990's (long before the current crop of 15 and 17 year-olds were born) it's difficult to find a former dead baby who hadn't been issued a social security number before he'd graduated to solid food...
But here's a loophole (isn't there always?). As long as the applicant is under 18, application for a Social Security card can be made by U.S. Mail. You are required to submit your birth certificate and some other form of identity, such as a driver's license, medical records, school records, federal or state ID card, passport, school ID card, or report card. Obviously, the latter two would be the easiest to fabricate. But scoring a Social Security number by providing a birth certificate, then writing in and pretending you're an eighth grader whose parents, presumably, were Tunisian missionaries during your infancy creates new problems. Since the previously described birthdate/ birthplace coding of all Socia1 Security numbers are available on the Internet, it's a sure bet that the DMV and your bank also access this data. If an applicant appearing to be in his forties attempts to open a bank account with a Social Security number issued 3 months ago, it could raise red flags.
This is yet another reason why the Anonymous You concept does not revolve around changing your identity, but rather using the one you were born with for use when absolutely required-- then living under made-up "Virtual Selves" the majority of the time.
Should you ever feel the temptation, never use the Social Security number of a deceased person. When somebody dies, the Social Security death benefit is claimed. This signals the Feds to retire the number, which is eventually re-assigned. Credit reporting agencies cross-reference the Social Security Death Index; so if a proffered number reveals in attempt to transact business from beyond the grave, expect the application or transaction to be flagged for suspected fraud.
Finally, here's a creative (but admittedly "out there") way to refuse divulging your Social Security number: In the case of Leahy v. District of Columbia, a federal court upheld John Leahy's religious objection to revealing his Social Security number to the DMV, based on his heartfelt belief that said number represented "The Mark of the Beast”. But even though the DMV can no longer compel you to part with your "Mark of the Beast," they already have reams of personal information about you-- including your picture, date of birth, and maybe even your fingerprint. So obtaining your Social Security number from a source other than yourself would be simple. And a maneuver like that of Mr. Leahy's carries an astronomical 'Asshole Factor", working against the pursuit of a low-key existence.
For the majority of us, the most practical straddle is to give the government any information they require for anything conferring a benefit we deem worthy of the intrusion. For most of us, this includes driving or accessing health care. But after surrendering what is needed to score the benefit, we can quietly reclaim our privacy through the back door-- by living the majority of our lives "off the record"-- as Virtual Selves.