Re: University of South Carolina e-Mail Compromises Student IDs

["David Lodge" <dave () cirt net>]

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 20:15:49 +0200, <Blanchard_Michael () emc com> wrote:
>  SSN should only be used for Income related items, between yourself,  
> your employer and the government.  If I apply for a loan, they can have  
> my SSN, credit card is a form of a loan.

My should a loan or credit card require something that is there for tax?  
What possible use can it be for the bank/credit card company, other than  
to prove that you aren't an illegal immigrant?

This is one of the biggest disjunctions between the US and the UK that  
I've noticed: the social security/national insurance number. The US people  
seem to have no qualms to asking for it/using it for everything short of  
buying bread.

Over here, most people don't even know their NI number (I only know mine  
as it's on my tax return every year). It's never used as a form of ID.

>  No need for a SSN to buy a house, or anythign else, just pay cash :-)

Except that most places won't except more that about 2 grand's worth of  
cash (in case of money laundering). Otherwise admirable.

Unfortunately, the UK attitude will change: banks are already requesting a  
passport or driving licence to create an account or perform a transaction  
(and what use will that do - my bank has never seen my passport or driving  
licence, how can they validate that that is mine and not some other person  
with the same name)? I'm fully preparing to be part of the unterclass of  
the ID cardless people that will be coming soon...

dave
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