8

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND DATE OF BIRTH

In 1973, George Norman left Denver, Colorado, in a borrowed car. He was skipping out on an impending two-year prison sentence for embezzling some $500,000 from the now-defunct Rocky Mountain Bank. Over the years he ran this “starter money” into $50 million by legal means, dabbling in oil in Houston and starting software companies in Oregon and Utah.

Although he knew that U.S. marshals were after him, rather than move to Mexico or Canada he stayed in the United States, relying on alternate names to protect him. Some of the names he used were George Larson, Max Morris, George Irving, Frick Jensen, Gunner Isoz, J. Blankman, and Dr. James Hill.

Had private parties been employing detectives to pursue him, the money would have run out before many years had passed. However, with government agents, money does not run out. Twenty-three years passed before Norman, for whatever reason, felt compelled to give out a Social Security number. Rather than use his own, or invent one, he used the number of a person he knew was dead. This Social Security number came up on a government computer as that of Tom Dangelis, red-flagged as George Norman’s wife Donna’s deceased grandfather! The result was this headline in the Sunday, December 1, 1996, Los Angeles Times: “Fugitive Millionaire Nabbed After 23 Years on the Lam.”

Yes, Norman needed catching and they caught him. But the point is, privacy isn’t only for criminals, it’s also desirable for white-hat folks like you and me, and this story certainly illustrates the point about not using someone else’s Social Security number. It also tells us, as I say in chapter 1, that when the chips go down for whatever reason, your first priority may be to gain time to sort things out. One way to find that time is to cross a border to the north or south. Even Denver’s Deputy U.S. Marshal Bobby Lloyd wondered about this, as indicated in the closing paragraph of the Los Angeles Times article:

“A guy with this amount of money,” said Lloyd, “why he didn’t just leave the country, I don’t know.”

YOUR DATE OF BIRTH (DOB)

No matter how common your name, you can be quickly identified in a database by coupling either your name or your birth date with your address. Keeping your true home address a secret has already been discussed. As for a birth date, I seldom give out any date whatsoever.

For instance, I once stopped in at a shopping mall to have my eyes tested. The doctor’s assistant handed me a long form to fill out, asking, among other things, my address, telephone number, Social Security number, and date of birth. I explained that I did not live in the area, did not give out my Social Security number, and my age was “more or less old.” No objection was raised. During the exam, the doctor asked me what I did for a living.

“I’m a writer.”

“Oh? What do you write?”

“Articles and books about keeping your private life private. Which is why I didn’t give you a Social Security number nor a date of birth.”

“Oh, well,” replied the doctor, “except for insurance cases, I don’t need that stuff on the form anyway!” (But they don’t tell you that when they hand you the form, right?)

My next stop was nearby, at one of those national chains that have optical shops in malls. I picked out the two frames I wanted and the young sales clerk started to fill in the form.

“Address?” she asked.

“No local address, I live in Spain.” After a puzzled look, she wrote down the address of the store itself.

“Telephone number?”

“Sorry, no telephone.” She wrote down the number of the store.

“Date of birth?”

“Why on earth,” I said, “would the purchase of two pairs of glasses require a date of birth?”

“The date of birth is how we identify our customers.”

“I do not wish to be identified.” Long pause. Then she left it blank. The next question on the form was for a Social Security number but at this point the girl just shrugged and didn’t even ask me.

Personally, I enjoy these challenges, but some of my clients do not. In fact, they hate confrontations of any kind. Often, if filling in a form yourself, you can just write “legal age.” Another alternative is to give a fictitious month and day, and a year a bit before or after the real one. If you feel obligated to give a date of birth, choose one that is easy to remember, such as a national holiday. Why not make yourself a few years younger at the same time?

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN)

The Privacy Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93–579, I section 7) requires that any federal, state, or local government agency that requests your Social Security number (SSN) must tell you four things:

1. Whether disclosure of your SSN is required or optional.

2. What statute or other authority requires this number.

3. How they will use your SSN, once they have it.

4. What will happen if you do not provide them with your SSN.

So if you are asked for your SSN by any federal, state, or local government agency (including any state university that accepts federal funds), look for the Privacy Act Statement. If it isn’t there, ask to see it before you give your number.

Since the subject of this book is privacy, not tax evasion, I see no problem in furnishing your SSN to the Internal Revenue Service.

YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE (DL)

By the time you read this, American and Canadian drivers’ licenses will be approaching the level of what in Europe is called a National Identification Card. However, unlike Europe, you are seldom required to show your DL in North America. I believe the only time I’ve ever had to produce my driver’s license has been either at a car rental agency or when pulled over by a cop. All other times, I use my passport for ID.

My one caveat is to do all that is legally possible to avoid having your true home address on your license, just in case some PI has a spy inside the DMV. But other than that, I don’t feel there’s much of a problem when dealing with government agencies. It’s the private organizations that can give you industrial-strength depression. The low-level clerk behind the counter expects you to fill out that form completely. After all, “everyone else does,” and it’s “the company policy.” So let’s consider some of these private agencies or organizations:

YOUR EMPLOYER’S DEMAND FOR YOUR DL, DOB, AND SSN

The ideal employer is you yourself. I have been self-employed since 1958, and I recommend that course to one and all. But if this is not possible for you, then here comes some bad news.

When you work for wages, the IRS requires the employer to get your Social Security number. Often they will ask for it before you’re hired, so they can check your credit and criminal (if any) record. Tell them you’ll give them your SSN if and when actually hired for the job. If this is not acceptable, ask yourself, “How badly do I want this job?”

If you do take the job, know that your name, address, and Social Security number must by law go into the database for the National Directory of New Hires within twenty calendar days. This applies to virtually every person who is hired in the United States. The only wiggle room here is with the address. Do all within your power to give your employer only your ghost address. (If you don’t yet have one, perhaps you can use the address of a relative who lives in the same area.)

In some cases, you may be able to work as an independent contractor and thus avoid giving out your Social Security number. An independent contractor is someone who works for another person or firm as a separate entity. The details are too complex to go into here, but if you think you might qualify, consult a CPA.

HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS

If you qualify for Medicare and wish to use it, you’ll need to furnish your true Social Security number. Other than that, I know of no law that requires your SSN to be an ID number. Insurance companies can often be persuaded to use another number in lieu of the SSN. True, the insurance companies do send information to the Medical Information Bureau (MIB), but I’ve been told the MIB does not use Social Security numbers as identifiers, nor do they report Social Security numbers when making reports.

Remember, when a private investigator has an associate search for your records in the Medical Information Bureau, many identical names may come up. His first choice for picking you out will be your date of birth, and his second choice will be whatever address he may have for you (if any). The very last thing you want on your record is a consultation that indicates a nervous disorder, a psychiatric problem, or a sexually transmitted disease. For these consultations, pay cash and use a false name. Better yet, pop over into Canada or Mexico. If you can afford it, skip Medicare altogether and just pay all bills in cash. No personal information needed for that.

BANKS

If you must have a U.S. bank account, open it in a business name or in the name of another person. When cashing checks, do not use your driver’s license for identification. Rather, use your passport because:

• It does not show your Social Security number.

• It does not show any address for you, not even the state or country in which you live.

• Unlike the Department of Motor Vehicles (or whatever name it has in your state), you cannot easily be traced with your passport number.

Occasionally, after presenting my passport, I have been asked for my driver’s license. I reply that I do not use my driver’s license for ID. In one small town, the bank teller confessed that she had never seen a passport before! I had to point out where the number was, so she could write it on the third-party check I was cashing.

If you do not yet have a passport, apply for one even though you have no intention of traveling to foreign lands. From the time it arrives, this will be the ID to use at all times.

Update: This e-mail came in just as this section was being edited:

Yet another big thanks to you for opening my eyes to privacy issues. Because of your book, I finally decided to get a passport as my first step in following your advice. Within just a few months, my father-in-law passed away in Spain and I had to go overseas immediately. Having the passport already was definitely a saving grace. I wouldn’t have had it if not for you!

—Gail Lucero, Las Vegas, NV

RENTING AN APARTMENT

Apartment managers present one of the greatest challenges a privacy-seeker will ever face. You, on the one hand, wish to keep your rental contract private. The manager, however, has almost certainly had some bad experiences with renters in the past and he is determined not to repeat them. With the escalating amount of identity fraud and the increased security ever since 9/11, most landlords now require:

• Your driver’s license (which may be photocopied) and a second piece of identification, such as a credit card.

• Your date of birth.

• The name, address, and telephone number of one or more references, preferably relatives.

• Your Social Security number, so he can check both your credit and a statewide database (i.e., blacklist) of undesirable tenants.

• The name of your employer, your monthly income, and perhaps a stub from one of your paychecks. Or, if you’re self-employed, you may be asked for a copy of your most recent tax return.

• A completely filled out and signed contract, including a list of your most recent landlords, along with their telephone numbers. And, yes, they will be called.

• The name of your bank, and perhaps the account number as well. Some will even demand to see a bank statement. (This is unusual but not illegal.)

In your present circumstances, you may find it impossible to get around these demands. If such is the case, my advice is to give in on most of the points but not on the Social Security number. (Once the SSN is used to check your credit, you can be targeted in a heartbeat.) Dress well, be polite, use your passport for ID, and offer to pay several months in advance. Above all, prepare beforehand to explain the reason—perhaps fear of a stalker—why you are simply unable to allow anyone to have your Social Security number. If you must furnish a copy of your tax return, black out your Social Security number, and then (to make sure it cannot still be read in front of a strong light) make a copy of that copy.

Warning: If you succeed in renting an apartment without revealing your Social Security number, then never pay the rent with a personal check. Otherwise, a PI can trace it back to your bank and your bank does have your Social Security number. Instead, pay either in cash or with a money order purchased at a post office, a supermarket, or a convenience store.

If, at the present time, you see no way around acceding to all of the landlord’s demands, do not despair. Get a short lease or rent month-by-month while you make your plans to move on to a more private location.

RENTING A HOUSE FROM ITS OWNER

If you choose to rent a house rather than apartment, you may be able to solve the Social Security number problem, especially if you have money available from an emergency fund. Watch the classified ads and especially Craigslist. Also, check with real estate agencies. The object is to deal directly with the owner of the property. The following is an example from a friend of ours that I’ll refer to as John Martin Tallman.

John moved to a new area where he was having a home custom-built. Due to a myriad of delays and problems, the builders were six months away from completion. He checked the classifieds and found this one:

For lease: 3,000 sq. ft. home on golf course. $1700/month plus $2000 deposit. Credit check mandatory. Call Amy at 783-99xx.

The “credit check mandatory” did not scare John. As “Martin” Tallman he called Amy for an appointment, showed up in a conservative suit and tie, introduced himself as an investor who was considering a move to the area, and asked to see the property. The house had been on the market for nearly a year. After six months, the asking price of $495,000 had been reduced to $449,000, but, due to a current recession, the home had still not sold. Amy’s boss, who had built the home on speculation, had decided to lease it out until the market improved. Although the owner had hoped to lease it out for a minimum of one year, it was agreed that John could lease for just six months, with an option to extend the lease to one year.

“You mentioned a credit report in your ad,” he said. “I prefer to keep my private affairs private, and for that reason I never give out my Social Security number. Since I always—”

“Sir, we need your Social Security number for a credit report.”

“As I started to say, since I always pay cash, a file has never been opened for me in any credit agency.”

“Nevertheless,” said Amy, “we can make a routine check. If nothing turns up—”

“Excuse me,” said John with a smile, holding up his hand. “If you send in a request, they will open a file for me, and there goes my privacy. Now then, I totally understand that you do not plan to lease this home unless you are sure that the monthly payments will come in, right?”

“Of course, and that’s why—”

“In my case, no monthly payments will be involved. I’ll pay cash in advance.”

“For all six months?”

“Yes, for all six months, and if I extend the lease at the end of that time, I will again pay for six months. I can give you the name of my attorney in San Francisco who will confirm that I am a law-abiding citizen. Here is my passport (showing it), and I will leave you a photocopy. We have no children, we throw no parties, my wife’s only hobby in life is scrubbing and cleaning, we have no pets, and neither of us smoke. You can leave the utilities in the present name and I’ll leave a deposit with you to cover them. I can have a bank cashier’s check for you within the hour. How shall I have it made out?”

“I’ll have to talk to my boss.”

“Fine, I’d like that. Is he here?”

“No, I’ll have to call him. Could you come back at this same time tomorrow?” The lease went through the next day. Note:

• No one was called for a reference.

• No Social Security number was given.

• The lease was in John’s middle and last name only, and did not include the name of his wife.

• He listed no previous addresses.

• Not one of the utilities was put into his name.

• He never received any mail or deliveries at that address.

• He avoided giving his date of birth.

Pay close attention to that last item. One problem with a passport is that it does list the date of birth, and the date of birth is sometimes used in databases in lieu of an SSN. John, however, was prepared in advance for that problem. He had previously photocopied his passport, eliminated the date of birth on the copy, and then copied it again. When he met with Amy the next day, he was ready.

“Here, again, is my passport,” he said, showing it and then putting it back in his pocket. “And here is a photocopy for your files.” The altered copy went into the files without a second glance.

At no time during the six months of the lease did John ever mention that he was having a home built in the area, and when he moved out he “neglected” to leave any forwarding address. (If you are thinking to yourself that very few persons can pay six months’ rent in advance, please review the final question at the end of this chapter.)

TRAVEL TRAILERS AND MOBILE HOMES

No Social Security number is needed if you purchase a travel trailer or a mobile home for cash and register it in the name of a limited liability company. If you are determined to own your own home, I suggest buying an older mobile home in a park and then fixing it up while you live there. We have some Mexican friends who do this on a regular basis. They pay not more than $8,000, live in it for a year while fixing it up, and then sell it for up to $15,000.

REAL ESTATE PURCHASES AND SALES

A Social Security number is required for the IRS reporting forms, even if you do pay cash. Although I don’t consider giving your Social Security number under this condition is high risk—the IRS has it anyway—you are not without options. One is to never actually buy real estate. Rent, lease, or take options. Or, you can purchase and sell in the name of a New Mexico limited liability company if you first obtain a tax identification number (TIN).

FALSE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

A federal court of appeals has ruled that using a false SSN to obtain a driver’s license is illegal. Other than that, there appears to be no legal penalty for giving a wrong number as long as there is no intent to deceive a government agency, commit fraud, or obtain a specific benefit.

Nevertheless, I do not recommend this. What if the number you choose turns out to be that of a drug dealer, a child pornographer, or someone who died prior to the year you use it? The wisest course is to give your true number but only when absolutely required, or else no number at all.

OBTAINING CREDIT

In many cases it may be extremely difficult to obtain credit without revealing your Social Security number, so you’ll have to ask yourself a question: “How desperately do I need this credit?” The correct answer should be, “Not that desperately!” In the Computer Privacy Handbook, author André Bacard quotes his grandfather’s opinion of credit:

I’m 80 years old and free because I never owed a dime. Young people are addicted to credit. Mark my words, André. Credit will lead to a police state in America. I hope I die before then.

My Scottish father and my Norwegian mother ran their lives the same way, quoting Proverbs 22:7 to my sister and me: “The borrower is a servant to the man doing the lending.” The advice was sound. I pass it on to you.

RUN YOUR LIFE ON A CASH BASIS

If you truly wish to become invisible, never apply for personal credit. (There is occasionally a business exception but credit in this case should be extended only to your corporation or limited liability company.) We raised our children to pay cash or go without, we recommend the same to all our friends, and we stand by our own example even when discussing the International Dream of “Owning Your Own Home.”

Incidentally, home ownership is overrated, as millions discovered when the values plummeted in the last few years. It is usually cheaper to rent or lease your living quarters. Further, should disaster strike from whatever direction, as a renter you can move before the sun rises tomorrow morning. The homeowner, on the other hand, will dawdle and procrastinate, and in some cases this delay can be fatal.

Until my wife and I were in our fifties, we rented, period. When we finally did build our first home on Lanzarote Island, perched on a cliff 1,500 feet above the Atlantic, we paid cash for every brick and block. Further, we were mentally prepared to walk away and leave this home if we had to. Since then we’ve built homes both there and in North America, always for cash, and only because we can afford this totally unnecessary luxury.

When the day comes that we can’t afford to walk (or run) away and leave a house behind, we’ll sell it, stash the cash, and go back to renting. In, as always, another name.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Can I get by without a passport, and still maintain my privacy?

Yes of course … if you never travel by air, never pay in a store by check, never cash a check at a bank, never receive a registered letter, and are never otherwise called upon to prove your age or identity. Since this may not be practical for you, let’s discuss another aspect of drivers’ licenses.

A recent news program on national television discussed the sale of pictures that go with state drivers’ licenses. The buyer is a company called Image Data. What had previously been kept secret was now made public (i.e., that the source of Image Data’s financing came from the U.S. Secret Service). Image Data says the only use for these pictures will be for businesses that accept checks. They will scan your driver’s license and check the picture on the screen to be sure it is really you. Two questions arise:

1. What use does the U.S. Secret Service have in mind for these pictures?

2. Why was Image Data attempting to hide the U.S. Secret Service connection?

I cannot answer these questions. What I can do, however, is to continue to urge you not to use your driver’s license for anything other than showing it to a policeman if you are stopped for a violation. (And do all within your power never to be stopped!)

Remember, for the past thirty-five years, most states have been selling the data from driver’s licenses. This includes your height, weight, and home address, none of which shows up on a passport. Also, if an investigator wishes to check you out, one of the places he will check is at the DMV in the state in which you live. I therefore say—once again—that one of the very best ways to maintain your privacy is to obtain a passport and use it alone for identification. (On the rare occasion when a second piece of ID is required, use something other than your driver’s license.)

What if a Social Security number is required for a hunting or fishing license?

Many states do require a Social Security number for registering a boat or buying a hunting or fishing license. (The boat, of course, can be registered in the name of a limited liability company.) You may wish to hunt or fish in another state—one that does not require a Social Security number. The nonresident license will cost you more, but if saving money is your goal, you’ll do better if you just obtain your meat and fish at the local supermarket.

Can’t I just apply for a new Social Security number?

Many books have been published with advice about how to illegally obtain a new Social Security number. Some authors recommend you tell some wild story about how you were living in the jungles of New Guinea and just got back. More often, it is suggested you comb old newspapers for children who died young, and obtain—or fake—their birth certificate. These books are out of date because the Social Security Administration now requires anyone eighteen or older to show up in person with original or certified documents to prove age, identity, and U.S. citizenship, along with positive proof that no card has ever been issued previously. There are just three exceptions. These are for:

1. Those relocated with new identities under the Federal Witness Security Program.

2. Individuals who can prove they were victims of “identity theft” when criminals used their number repeatedly to get credit cards, make loans, and engage in other financial transactions.

3. Abused women who are hiding from husbands, ex-husbands, or former lovers. Until the latter part of 1999, only about 150 new numbers were granted each year. Since then, however, the Social Security Administration has been granting new numbers much more freely. In addition to original documents establishing your age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status, you will be asked for both your old and new names if you have changed your name. You must also present evidence showing you have custody of children for whom you are requesting new numbers; and evidence you may have documenting the harassment or abuse. The best evidence of abuse will come from third parties such as police, medical facilities, or doctors. Other evidence may include court restraining orders; letters from shelters, family members, friends; counselors or others who have knowledge of the domestic violence or abuse. (For additional information about new numbers for abused women, go to the agency’s Web site, www.ssa.gov/pubs/10093.html.)

Can I avoid giving my Social Security number on the basis of Revelation, Chapter 13?

I assume you are referring to the belief, held sincerely by some, that a Social Security number is the “mark of the beast.” It is true that in the past, several persons have won court cases objecting on religious grounds to state requirements for a SSN as a condition to receiving a driver’s license. In Leahy v. District of Columbia, the circuit court upheld John C. Leahy’s religious objection to providing his Social Security number in order to get a driver’s license.

Later, five plaintiffs sued the city of Los Angeles on religious objection grounds, objecting to the state’s requirement that driver’s license applicants must provide a Social Security number as a condition to getting a license. They won the case in the State Superior Court, but I believe the state appealed that decision.

If you really, truly believe that the use of a Social Security number violates your religious beliefs, then take your stand. If you go to jail—and some have—you will be suffering for what you feel is a righteous cause. But if you are thinking of challenging the authorities and just using religion as an excuse, then I urge you to back off. Join the rest of us who do furnish the number when absolutely necessary … but never otherwise.

You cited an example of a friend who paid his rent six months in advance in order to avoid giving out his SSN. But what if we can barely scrape together a deposit and one month in advance?

If you are that broke, set the privacy issues aside for the moment. Get right to work on setting up an emergency fund—$5,000 minimum. (If you are making monthly payments on nonessentials like furniture, TV, or a fancy car, sell them.) Until you reach your goal, pay for nothing other than rent, gasoline, minimal repairs on an old car, utilities, insurance, and groceries. No cable TV, no movies, no newspapers, no soft drinks, no eating out, no alcohol, no cigarettes, and no new clothes or shoes. Don’t tell me it cannot be done. I know Mexicans with minimum-wage jobs who send money to their parents back in Mexico every month.

Once you have your emergency fund in place, you can then—when necessary—pay your rent for six months in advance. This is the same as money in the bank.