How to Protect Your Identity: Stop Giving Out the Last 4 Numbers of your Social Security Number
Author: Joshua Dorkin • URL: http://www.biggerpockets.com/May 1st, 2007 •
I’ve always had a problem with financial companies asking me for my personal information. I’ve always done my best to get around giving information like my social security number as a means of verifying who I am when on the phone with any financial institution. This weekend I had a realization about protecting your identity and it relates to something many people do every day: Stop giving out the last 4 digits of your social security number!
The whole point of companies asking for the last 4 numbers of your social security number is to protect you and your identity.
The irony of this is that the last 4 numbers of your social security number have now come to replace the entire number (9 digits). If all it takes is those 4 numbers to fully access, modify, or alter a financial account, then isn’t giving those 4 digits out the same thing as giving the entire number out?
I never give that information out and urge you to do the same.
When the logic behind our account “security” makes no sense whatsoever, isn’t it time to make a change?
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Joshua Dorkin
Charles Feldman
Ted Karsch.
Richard Warren
That’s a very interesting point! How do you usually get out of it? Will they ask for another piece of information to make sure you are who you say you are?
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Yes, what do you provide them that allows them to verify who they are? Have you found that they accept an alternative?
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