A Reporter's Story - It All Starts with the SSN

By Kerry G. Hill
National/Foreign Editor

It's just a number, a nine-digit sequence issued by the U.S. government. Every American must have one. It becomes your identity for life.

But most Americans take it for granted. I did -- until my Social Security number, along with other personal information, fell into the wrong hands a couple of years ago.

Since then, my number -- my identity -- has been hijacked several times for use in stealing thousands of dollars in goods and cash. Each time, I'm left to sort out the mess.

The first hint of trouble came in a telephone call from an investigator for the company that issued one of my credit cards.

In the past month, she inquired, had I charged more than $3,000 in the Maryland-Washington, D.C. area? Had I asked that replacement cards to be sent to my NEW address in New York?

No, I snapped. Emphatically, NO!

In that case, all I could do, she said, was freeze my account, assess the damage and open a new account. Also, I would have to sign a fraud affidavit. All this would take weeks.

How could this happen? I've always been careful in using my credit cards -- grabbing receipts, shredding carbons, protecting statements. How could someone on the East Coast get access to this?

A few months later, another call came, from a different credit company. Had I recently charged more than $4,000? Had I asked that new cards be sent to my NEW address in New York?

NO! I screamed. I closed this credit account years ago -- or so I thought. CLOSE IT NOW! I commanded.

By then, I began to suspect that my problems were due to something more than numbers gleaned from a single lost receipt. At the local credit bureau, I reviewed my credit report, which contained evidence that my problems indeed were more serious. Several businesses that had no business looking into my credit history -- including banks in New York and Atlanta and some company in Maryland -- had checked into my credit history.

Upon advice of the credit bureau representative, I immediately had a fraud alert added to my credit report, along with instructions to speak directly with me before issuing credit. Also, I obtained the addresses of the businesses that had been poking their noses into my credit worthiness to do some poking on my own.

An investigator at the Atlanta bank explained that my credit card application had been rejected because my New York address could not be verified.

That's because it's a fraud, I explained.

The investigator shared other information from "my application," including phone numbers and employment information. From that, I surmised that my identity had been breached by obtaining a copy of a credit report that was at least seven years old. The credit card accounts that were infiltrated were both active at the time.

The New York bank and Maryland company refused to speak with me, but it appeared that neither had authorized credit.

For added measure, I contacted the Social Security Administration to report fraudulent use of my number. The customer service representative was sympathetic, took my report and said I'd be hearing from an investigator. No one ever called.

I also made a couple of calls in search of a state agency in which to file a report, with no luck. Since the credit card companies absorbed the losses and the fraud occurred outside of Wisconsin, no agency here had any interest in my case.

Still, having taken all the precautions I could, I hoped that my ordeal had passed.

But, six months later, I was stunned by a call from a fraud investigator for a bank in Connecticut, inquiring about more than $4,000 in overdue payments on a credit card I never had. I resented the investigator's accusatory tone.

I immediately checked my credit record, which showed that even though the bank had obtained a copy of my credit report after the warnings had been added, it still approved the fraudulent credit account. Even more disturbing was the fact that my "current address" had been changed to one in Corona, New York.

I contacted the investigator and complained about his bank's lax security in approving credit accounts. He brushed off my protestations and said he was sending me an affidavit to sign and, IF this was determined to be fraud, my credit report would be corrected.

Because the affidavit I received absolved the bank of any responsibility, however, I drafted my own statement, explicitly laying the blame on the bank, had my version notarized and sent back to the bank. Two months later, I received a letter -- clearing me of any wrong-doing.

But just a few months later, a letter came from a Delaware bank, saying that my loan application could not be approved unless I sent a photocopy of my Social Security card and other identifying information.

I replied that I hadn't applied for a loan. But my request for further information regarding my application- brought no answer.

A couple of weeks later, I get another call from the credit card company where the perpetrators first struck. Had I called urgently requesting replacement cards?

NO!

A caller, using my Social Security number, was attempting to get new cards. As advised, I closed my account yet again and opened a new one, causing yet another disruption to the conduct of my finances.

By now, it's clear that protecting my credit identity is a long-term -- and mostly lonesome -- pursuit.

So far, I've been fortunate that I haven't been held responsible for any of the debt incurred in my name. Yet, I've invested a great deal of time and trouble -- not to mention a few expenses -- of tracking down information and correcting my record.

I'm upset that some thieves have profited from my identity, yet no authorities seem interested in resolving my dilemma permanently. Banks and other businesses simply write off the losses, but otherwise offer little help and information in my never-ending battle to defend my good name.

And all this trouble resulted because the wrong individuals possess and misuse a few numbers.

Until this ordeal, the idea that anyone could inflict such damage using only a few numbers seemed far-fetched -- more like a movie scenario than real life. Perhaps that's why it's so difficult to convince others that identity theft is a real threat.

But, now that I've been drafted into the battle, I see things differently. Certain numbers do have power, do grant access and can be misused.

Numbers make us vulnerable. Sadder but wiser, I refuse to take chances.

Recently, I saw an entry blank for a drawing for a house. I stopped to look it over, but the instant I saw that the entry required disclosure of Social Security number, I threw it away. That number has become too precious.