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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.105



Banks and credit card issuers and various others are required by the IRS to
report the SSNs of account holders to whom they pay interest or when they
charge interest and report it to the IRS.  If you don't tell them your
number you will probably either be refused an account or be charged a
penalty such as withholding of taxes on your interest.

Many Banks, Brokerages, and other financial institutions have started
implementing automated systems to let you check your balance. All too often,
they are using SSNs as the PIN that lets you get access to your personal
account information.  If your bank does this to you, write them a letter
pointing out how many of the people you have financial business with know
your SSN.  Ask them to change your PIN, and if you feel like doing a good
deed, ask them to stop using the SSN as a default identifier.  Some
customers will believe that there's some security in it, and be
insufficiently protective of their account numbers.

When buying (and possibly refinancing) a house, most banks will now ask for
your Social Security Number on the Deed of Trust.  This is because the
Federal National Mortgage Association recently started requiring it.  The
fine print in their regulation admits that some consumers won't want to give
their number, and allows banks to leave it out when pressed.  [It first
recommends getting it on the loan note, but then admits that it's already on
various other forms that are a required part of the package, so they already
know it.  The Deed is a public document, so there are good reasons to refuse
to put it there, even though all parties to the agreement already have
access to your number.]


                     Insurers, Hospitals, Doctors

No laws require medical service providers to use your Social Security Number
as an ID number (except for Medicare, Medicaid, etc.)  They often use it
because it's convenient or because your employer uses it to certify
employees to its groups health plan.  In the latter case, you have to get
your employer to change their policies.  Often, the people who work in
personnel assume that the employer or insurance company requires use of the
SSN when that's not really the case.  When my current employer asked for my
SSN for an insurance form, I asked them to try to find out if they had to
use it.  After a week they reported that the insurance company had gone
along with my request and told me what number to use.  Blood banks also ask
for the number but are willing to do without if pressed on the issue.  After
I asked politely and persistently, the blood bank I go to agreed that they
didn't have any use for the number.  They've now expunged my SSN from their
database, and they seem to have taught their receptionists not to request
the number.

Most insurance companies share access to old claims through the Medical
Information Bureau.  If your insurance company uses your SSN, other
insurance companies will have a much easier time finding out about your
medical history.  You can get a copy of the file MIB keeps on you by writing
to Medical Information Bureau, P.O. Box 105, Essex Station, Boston, MA
02112.  Their phone number is [phone].

If an insurance agent asks for your Social Security Number in order to
"check your credit", point out that the contract is invalid if your check
bounces or your payment is late.  They don't need to know what your credit
is like, just whether you've paid them.


                                  Children

The Family Support Act of 1988 (42 USC 1305, 607, and 602) apparently
requires states to require parents to give their Social Security Numbers in
order to get a birth certificate issued for a newborn.  The law allows the
requirement to be waived for "good cause", but there's no indication of what
may qualify.

The IRS requires taxpayers to report SSNs for dependents over one year of
age, but the requirement can be avoided if you're prepared to document the
existence of the child by other means if challenged.  The law on this can be
found at 26 USC 6109.

                      Universities and Colleges

Universities that accept federal funds are subject to the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (the "Buckley Amendment"), which prohibits
them from giving out personal information on students without permission.
There is an exception for directory information, which is limited to names,
addresses, and phone numbers, and another exception for release of
information to the parents of minors.  There is no exception for Social
Security Numbers, so covered Universities aren't allowed to reveal students'
numbers without their permission.  In addition, state universities are bound
by the requirements of the Privacy Act, which requires them to provide the
disclosures mentioned above.  If they make uses of the SSN which aren't
covered by the disclosure they are in violation.


           Why use of Social Security Numbers is a problem

The Social Security Number doesn't work well as an identifier for several
reasons.  The first reason is that it isn't at all secure; if someone makes
up a nine-digit number, it's quite likely that they've picked a number that
is assigned to someone.  There are quite a few reasons why people would make
up a number: to hide their identity or the fact that they're doing
something; because they're not allowed to have a number of their own
(illegal immigrants, e.g.), or to protect their privacy.  In addition, it's
easy to write the number down wrong, which can lead to the same problems as
intentionally giving a false number.  There are several numbers that have
been used by thousands of people because they were on sample cards shipped
in wallets by their manufacturers.  (One is given below.)

When more than one person uses the same number, it clouds up the records.
If someone intended to hide their activities, it's likely that it'll look
bad on whichever record it shows up on.  When it happens accidentally, it
can be unexpected, embarrassing, or worse.  How do you prove that you
weren't the one using your number when the record was made?

A second problem with the use of SSNs as identifiers is that it makes it
hard to control access to personal information.  Even assuming you want
someone to be able to find out some things about you, there's no reason to
believe that you want to make all records concerning yourself available.
When multiple record systems are all keyed by the same identifier, and all
are intended to be easily accessible to some users, it becomes difficult to
allow someone access to some of the information about a person while
restricting them to specific topics.

The market for stolen numbers increased in 1986, with the passage of the
Immigration reform law.  While making up a number is usually good enough to
fool the public library, employers submit the number to the IRS, which cross
checks with its own and SSA's records.  Because of the checks, illegal
workers need to know what name goes with the number so they won't be caught
as quickly.


                What you can do to protect your number

If despite your having written "refused" in the box for Social Security
Number, it still shows up on the forms someone sends back to you (or worse,
on the ID card they issue), your recourse is to write letters or make phone
calls.  Start politely, explaining your position and expecting them to
understand and cooperate.  If that doesn't work, there are several more
things to try:

1: Talk to people higher up in the organization.  This often works
        simply because the organization has a standard way of dealing
        with requests not to use the SSN, and the first person you deal
        with just hasn't been around long enough to know what it is.

2: Enlist the aid of your employer.  You have to decide whether talking
        to someone in personnel, and possibly trying to change
        corporate policy is going to get back to your supervisor and
        affect your job.

3: Threaten to complain to a consumer affairs bureau.  Most newspapers
        can get a quick response.  Ask for their "Action Line" or
        equivalent.  If you're dealing with a local government agency,
        look in the state or local government section of the phone book
        under "consumer affairs."  If it's a federal agency, your
        congressmember may be able to help.

4: Insist that they document a corporate policy requiring the number.
        When someone can't find a written policy or doesn't want to
        push hard enough to get it, they'll often realize that they
        don't know what the policy is, and they've just been following
        tradition.

5: Ask what they need it for and suggest alternatives.  If you're
        talking to someone who has some independence, and they'd like
        to help, they will sometimes admit that they know the reason
        the company wants it, and you can satisfy that requirement a
        different way.

6: Tell them you'll take your business elsewhere (and follow through if
        they don't cooperate.)

7: If it's a case where you've gotten service already, but someone
        insists that you have to provide your number in order to have a
        continuing relationship, you can choose to ignore the request
        in hopes that they'll forget or find another solution before
        you get tired of the interruption.

If someone absolutely insists on getting your Social Security Number, you
may want to give a fake number.  There is no legal penalty as long as you're
not doing it to get something from a government agency or to commit fraud.
There are a few good choices for "anonymous" numbers.  Making one up at
random is a bad idea, as it may coincide with someone's real number and
cause them some amount of grief.  It's better to use a number like
078-05-1120, which was printed on "sample" cards inserted in thousands of
new wallets sold in the 40's and 50's.  It's been used so widely that both
the IRS and SSA recognize it immediately as bogus, while most clerks haven't
heard of it.

There are several prefixes that have never been assigned, and which
therefore don't conflict with anyone's real number.  They include the
following patterns:

1.  Any field all zeroes (no field of zeroes is ever assigned)

2.  First digit "8" (no area numbers in the 800 series have been
    assigned)

3.  First two digits 73-79 (no area numbers in the 700 series have been
    assigned except 700-729 which were assigned to railroad workers
    until 1964)

Giving a number with one of these patterns rather than your own number isn't
very useful if there's anything serious at stake since they're likely to be
noticed .  Numbers beginning with 9 have never been assigned to individuals,
but some have been assigned to organizations and for other special purposes.
The Social Security Administration recommends that people showing Social
Security cards in advertisements use numbers in the range 987-65-4320
through 987-65-4329.

If you're designing a database, and want to use numbers other than Social
Security Numbers, you'd be better off generating numbers that are shorter
than 9 digits, so they won't be confused with SSNs.  If you have an existing
database using SSNs, and want to allow people to use a different identifier,
it's better to generate longer or shorter numbers or ones with letters
included rather than depending on these unused patterns.

The Social Security Administration recommends that you request a copy of
your file from them every few years to make sure that your records are
correct (your income and "contributions" are being recorded for you, and no
one else's are.)  As a result of a recent court case, the SSA has agreed to
accept corrections of errors when there isn't any contradictory evidence,
SSA has records for the year before or after the error, and the claimed
earnings are consistent with earlier and later wages.  (San Jose Mercury
News, 5/14, 1992 p 6A) Call the Social Security Administration at (800)
772-1213 and ask for Form 7005, (Request for Earnings and Benefit Estimate
Statement.)


             Some Legal Cases Currently (6/19/92) Pending

CPSR recently joined two legal cases concerning Social Security Numbers and
privacy.  One of them challenged the IRS practice of printing Social
Security Numbers on mailing labels when they send out tax forms and related
correspondence.  The other challenged Virginia's requirement of a Social
Security Number in order to register to vote.

Dr. Peter Zilahy Ingerman filed suit against the IRS in Federal District
Court in 1991, and CPSR filed a friend of the court brief in August '91.
The case was recently decided in favor of the IRS.  CPSR plans to appeal.

The Virginia case was filed by a resident of the state who refused to supply
a Social Security Number when registering to vote.  When the registrar
refused to accept his registration, he filed suit.  He is also challenging
the state of Virginia on two other bases: the registration form apparently
lacked a Privacy Act notice, and the voter lists the state publishes include
Social Security Numbers.



If you have suggestions for improving this document please send them to me
at:
                                       Chris Hibbert
[e-mail]        or           Xanadu Operating Company
                                       1891 Landings Drive
                                       Mountain View, CA 94043


This posting is available via anonymous ftp from pit-manager.mit.edu
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containing the line "send usenet/news.answers/ssn-privacy" (without
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From: [e-mail] (Paul W Schleck KD3FU)
Subject: A Guide to Buying and Selling on Usenet
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Followup-To: poster
Summary: A guide to the rec.radio.swap newsgroup, providing a
         description of the group and its charter, net-wisdom on the
         best use of this forum, and some brief netiquette notes.
         Also provides general guidelines for the other forsale and
         marketplace forums.
Keywords: ham amateur radio cb buy sell swap netiquette
Sender: [e-mail] (UNO Network News Server)
Supersedes: <[e-mail]>
X-Posting-Frequency: posted on the 1st of each month
Reply-To: [e-mail],[e-mail] (Guide Coordinators)
Organization: ACM Student Chapter, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Tue, 1 Dec 1992 12:03:57 GMT
Approved: [e-mail]
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Posted-By: auto-faq script
Archive-name: swap-guide
Revision: 1.2 10/03/92 05:39:04

(Note:  The following is reprinted with the permission of the author.)

This message is a guide to buying and selling over Usenet. It is intended to
serve as a guide for users unfamiliar with common conventions used in the
Usenet marketplace. Questions and comments may be directed to the author, Jay
Maynard, K5ZC, via Internet electronic mail at [e-mail].
This message was last changed on 2 June 1992. Thanks go to readers of the
personal radio newsgroups, who provided feedback to the net about proper use
of this forum, and especially Paul W. Schleck, KD3FU, [e-mail],
who compiled most of the net wisdom and suggested the creation of this
article.

Usenet has proven to be a valuable resource for many folks. Along with lots of
discussion, argument, and good, solid information, it's also a good place to
buy or sell equipment, and many people have done so successfully. As with any
other medium, though, there are conventions that make everyone's life easier
if they're followed as much as possible.

The following are some suggested guidelines for using the rec.radio.swap
forum, based on general net-wisdom from users. Most of it is basic common
sense, but it is unfortunate that some users have consistently abused this
forum by not following such basic common sense. The general guidelines will
serve as well for other groups on the net, such as misc.forsale and
just.about.anything.marketplace.

What is appropriate to post in rec.radio.swap?

Any offer to buy or sell radio and electronics equipment, such as
transmitters, receivers, antennas, electronics parts, and radio-related
computer equipment is appropriate for this forum. Posts concerning
non-hardware (but still radio-related) items such as documentation manuals,
books, radio-related software, and publications, are also welcome.

Please do not post discussion articles to this group. If you really must post,
please do so to the appropriate discussion group. Use email whenever possible,
especially if you feel someone has committed a breach of etiquette.

Articles concerning illegal equipment (such as CB linear amplifiers and police
radar jammers) are not welcome. Not only will you be severely "flamed," you
are also opening yourself (and possibly the owners and administrators of your
news site) up to civil and criminal liability. Individuals who are involved in
the regular business of buying and selling for profit are requested not to
abuse this forum by using it as a "free advertisement" service for their
business, although they are welcome to participate as individuals. The
distinction here is that there is a cultural bias on Usenet, and an actual
prohibition on some networks that carry Usenet traffic, against using the net
for commercial purposes. Let your conscience be your guide.

Doesn't this article violate its own guidelines?

Well, yes and no. In the strictest sense, this article violates the rule that
only buying and selling advertisements belong in the rec.radio.swap newsgroup.
However, since those using this newsgroup are most likely to see articles in
the same newsgroup, and since this newsgroup serves readers of the
rec.radio.amateur.*, rec.radio.cb, rec.radio.shortwave, and alt.radio.scanner
newsgroups, posting it here provides the greatest visibility with the least
instrusion. Other suggestions which achieve the same goals are welcome.

If you are looking for something specific...

Try to first find the item through other channels before resorting to the net.
If the manufacturer is still in business, you may be pleasantly surprised that
they still have the items on the shelf. Other companies specialize in
discontinued and surplus parts and equipment and are your best source for
tracking down items. Consult the mail-order electronics list available from
ftp.cs.buffalo.edu in file ~/pub/ham-radio/mail_order or the advertising
sections of most popular radio and electronics publications.

Once you have exhausted all other channels, then certainly do post. State
clearly what you are looking for (e.g. "a part# 345X56 Bakelite Frobnicator
for an American Hawk Fubar 2000, circa 1968-1970"), and how much you are
willing to pay (or that you're willing to negotiate). Avoid sending out
"equipment-wanted" posts unless you are willing to pay for shipping from
wherever it may turn up (this newsgroup is read throughout the world), or
state clearly where you're willing to accept items from. Use the Distribution:
header line to limit where your posting will go, but be aware that it's far
from an absolute restriction; articles with ba (San Francisco Bay area)
distribution, for example, are imported to places like Boston regularly.

If you are selling equipment...

Be specific in your first post about what you are selling and how much you
want for it (or that you're willing to negotiate). State clearly whether or
not the price includes shipping, and if it does, be sure to allow yourself a
reasonable amount to cover the cost. Avoid sending out "for sale" posts unless
you are willing to arrange for shipping to whomever in the message
distribution wants to buy it (and remember the comment above about
Distribution: headers...); if you cannot limit the posting's distribution for
one reason or another, be clear in your message about where you will and will
not ship. The US Postal Service and United Parcel Service have a 75-pound
limit on packages, and other carriers have similar limits; anything heavier
will have to go by motor-freight (read: EXPENSIVE). Don't advertise equipment
that you cannot ship within a reasonable amount of time.

Once you have made a deal, state clearly your intentions and follow through on
them. Nothing angers a buyer more than delays and excuses. Once you do ship,
have it securely packaged (insurance is strongly recommended). Payment terms
should be whatever you and the buyer are comfortable with, and commonly
include options such as money up-front, COD (Cash on Delivery), or payment
upon receipt and inspection. Don't be offended if the buyer wants to take
steps to protect his position, since he probably doesn't know you. Most
readers of this forum are basically honest and want to maintain their
net-image, but the few bad apples should encourage you to only deal with
honest, reputable people and to reasonably protect your position in any
transaction.

If you are buying equipment...

Respond to an advertisement in a prompt manner. (The item may well not be
available if you don't!) State clearly your terms and intentions and follow
through on them. Nothing angers a seller more than delays and excuses. As
radio equipment is generally bulky and fragile, allow for a reasonable amount
of money to package, insure, and ship your purchase properly. Payment terms
should be similar to those suggested under seller's guidelines, and should
reasonably protect your position (remember, you are probably buying equipment
sight-unseen from a relative stranger), but remember that he needs to protect
his position as well. If you are unsure of a given seller, ask a net-regular
discretly via E-mail. He or she will be more than happy to either ease your
concerns or confirm your suspicions.

The Usenet marketplace groups in general, and rec.radio.swap in particular,
are a great place to buy that piece of gear you've had your eye on. Items go
quickly for reasonable prices. I've sold a radio within three hours of posting
the for sale message. The usefulness of these groups depends to a large extent
on the people who inhabit them, though, and a few unscrupulous users can
easily sink the whole thing. Whether you are a buyer, seller, or seeker of
equipment, remember that your honesty and integrity reflects on the general
reputation and usefulness of this forum and amateur radio in general.

--
Jay Maynard, EMT-P, K5ZC, PP-ASEL | Never ascribe to malice that which can
[e-mail]      | adequately be explained by a .sig virus.
   "[...] have you noticed how many people have joined you on the back of
     Rosinante to help subdue this particular windmill?" -- Dan Herrick

--
73, Paul W. Schleck, KD3FU

[e-mail]

Celebrating 60 years of the Univ. of Maryland ARA - W3EAX (1933-1993)

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From: [e-mail] (talk.bizarre Steering Committee)
Newsgroups: talk.bizarre,news.answers
Subject: Welcome to talk.bizarre!  (Monthly Posting)
Summary: How to make less of an ass of yourself on t.b
Keywords: Hello, world
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 13 Oct 92 21:02:30 GMT
Sender: [e-mail] (USENET News System)
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Paul Vader)
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Archive-name: talk-bizarre

Contents:
I.   Introduction
II.  t.b posting categories
III. The big ten no-nos
IV.  Traps for the unwary
V.   Staple threads
VI.  Catchphrases never to be used
VII. Folklore

I. Introduction.

           There is a theory which states that if someone ever found out
           what was going on, the universe would instantly be replaced with
           something even more bizarrely inexplicable.

           There is another theory which states that this has already
           happened.

The quote above perfectly illustrates what should NEVER, under any
circumstances, be posted to talk.bizarre. Here's just a few reasons:
  -  We've all heard it, ha ha.
  -  It's not attributed (_Restaurant_at_The_End_Of_The_Universe_ by Douglas
     Adams, Frontispiece).
  -  It doesn't actually mean anything.
  -  It isn't even the proper quote
  -  It's a transparent attempt to set the mood for the rest of the article.
     Such cheap literary devices are just NOT to be tolerated.
  -  Does it really have to be indented that way?

Because the t.b community is a fascinating slice of the net population, and
because *way* too much garbage is posted here by people who think "why not,
isn't that what talk.bizarre is for?" this article has been put together
detailing the author's feelings on what fits in t.b, and what better belongs
in comp.sys.amiga.advocacy. If you don't like it, bite my kneecaps. Just
don't do it in t.b.

II.  t.b Posting categories.

The average posting to t.b can be put into one of the following six
categories. Three of them legitimate behavior, and three bogus. No attempt
is made to rank the relative goodness or badness of each category, except to
say that it's either a Good or Bad Thing:

Legitimate categories.
1.  Literary: Stories like Twilight Zone episodes, horrendously elaborate
    puns, parodies of other material, poetry, About one flame in ten.
2.  Small World: Odd events in and around the poster's life, short shameful
    confessions, Bizarre news from around the net and the real world if
    necessary.
3.  Social: The rare followup that shouldn't have been a reply, critiques
    from respected oldbies. Spend about two years reading t.b before you even
    consider posting a social message. Learn the difference between your 'f'
    and 'r' keys. Following up is seldom bizarre.

Bogus categories.
1.  Thugs: The other 90% of flames, Newbie baiting (Posting "Lost in Space
    was better" to rec.arts.startrek.* groups), and setting followups to
    strange groups. For some reason, a lot of idiots think that talk.bizarre
    is the natural audience for their microcephalic fun and games.
2.  Idiots: Articles from people who have way too high a regard for their
    own sense of humor. Random nonsense is not bizarre. Thankfully, someone
    set up a group for this type of behavior; alt.non-sequitur.
    Unfortunately, the people in question probably can't spell that.
3.  Nutcases: Most of these start as crossposts. The "thought process"
    might go 'they don't like [George Bush, UZIs, choice, the drug war,
    holocaust revisionism] - Isn't that bizarre?' Unfortunately, the
    legitimate users of t.b often feel they have to answer some of this
    crap, and t.b gets a reputation of being populated by collectors of
    serial killer trading cards.

An additional category: Administrative stuff like this. Futile attempts to
                        stem the tide of bullshit, or at least document it.
                        It's a shame that doing so doesn't make the problem
                        go away, like computer software.


III. Top ten things not welcome in talk.bizarre:

10. Crossposts of threads from other groups where people are abusing you.
    There's a pitiful newsgroup for this, alt.whine.
9.  Crossposts of threads from other groups for just about any reason, in
    fact.
8.  Ascii art. Put them in your .sig, and they will find a place in the
    occasionally hilarious newsgroup for this, alt.fan.warlord.
7.  Peices of Monty Python sketches. There's no place for this; see the
    introduction.
6.  Top ten lists. You could find a place for these in
    alt.fan.david-letterman, if you're into posting to carasso-created
    groups.
5.  Torrid details of your depraved lack-of-sex life. There's way too many
    places for this. Have fun browsing through the alt.sex.* hierarchy. Then
    fu** off.
4.  Most flames. 90% of the flames you see in t.b are perpetrated by
    flatlining losers who couldn't find their asshole with a map, both
    hands, and a friend. There's a completely unreadable group,
    alt.flame, for this. You can count on one hand the number of t.b
    flamers who successfully walk the line between art and noise.
3.  Cascades, cascades, cascades. If you're into this form of mental
    masturbation, subscribe to alt.cascade. Don't forget to shave your
    palms; People might notice. This applies to the fully quoted one line
    followup too. EDITOR'S NOTE: Despite thousands of articles to the