Social Security number required for cell phone

[Vote Tyler Stearns]

Switched cell providers yesterday and bought new phones...they asked for my Social Security number, which I refused to give.  Manager entered data in computer using a dummy SSN, and it was rejected and US Cell refused to transfer my phone numbers to Verizon.  After I finally revealed the last 4 digits of my SSN (hour and a half later) they released my numbers and Verizon approved my credit.

How do you guys get credit and buy cell phones and transfer real estate without giving your SSN??? 

BTW, the Verizon store manager told me I was only the third person who'd ever refused to give their SSN in the 2.5 years he managed a store...

[toowm]

We refuse to give our numbers up to the point where we have to for a transaction. I think real estate and banking are pretty much a given, which is why I'd love to see alternatives in these areas.

[Nicholas Gilman]

How do you guys get credit and buy cell phones

  You don't.  It is possible to get a cellular phone without a SSN, but you'll
likely pay a deposit and have a spending limit for a time.  Many of the
recent immigrants in Manchester don't have a SSN and get their phones this way.
When you transfer a number from one company to another
it is called a port, and that requires the last four of the SSN,
because the intercarrier porting standard requires that info.
People that port a number who don't have a SSN usually use
four zeroes, but if the carrier you port from had a SSN associated
and you use all zeros, the last 4 will not match and the transfer of the
number will fail. 

    Some carriers are most strict about the SSN than others.

   

[mvpel]

And some people just use TracFone.

[Nicholas Gilman]

  Pre paid phones are great, but if you need to talk quite a bit, outfit a
group with phones, or run special hardware like a PDA or broadband card,
you need to go through a conventional carrier.  I would recommend prepaid
phones for individuals who need a phone for limited use. 

 

[Dreepa]

How do you guys get credit and buy cell phones and transfer real estate without giving your SSN??? 

Haven't tried with a phone.. but the electric company doesn't have it (they threatened to cut off my power -- almost 2 years now!)  and the State of NH asked for it at the birth of my son... I wrote refused.  They hassled me some and I basically said....you aren't gonna get it.  What part of 'not to be used for identification' don't you understand?

[KBCraig]

Giving the last four isn't the same as giving the SSN. Curiously, the Army (at least when I was in, '82-'89) always observed strict adherence to the Privacy Act. No one would ever ask for your full SSN without a Privacy Act statement explaining why it was required, what it would be used for, and the consequences of not providing it. You had to sign that statement (or decline to sign!) any time they asked for your SSN.

"Last Four" was the number used to sort medical records, among other things. It was used like a PIN, to confirm that the person matched the name.

That's why the new phone company wants the Last Four: to make sure you're the same person.

[E-ville]

Im abandoning cell phones and going wifi and VOIP..  its almost free and if you in a urban area wifi is easy to find at coffie shops and other places that offer it free, youll see more and more of this.. I use a nokia n800 device with gizmo or skype on it to get call cell and land lines.. its super cheap, and where i go im usually in arange of my home router or in the vicinity of other free wifi points.

I do think its sad that you need a SSn, especially since SS is not mandatory.  some companies are going to loose business... After I migrate to NH, I'll be a ghost.. no numbers at all.

[jaqeboy]

Switched cell providers yesterday and bought new phones...they asked for my Social Security number, which I refused to give.  Manager entered data in computer using a dummy SSN, and it was rejected and US Cell refused to transfer my phone numbers to Verizon.  After I finally revealed the last 4 digits of my SSN (hour and a half later) they released my numbers and Verizon approved my credit.

How do you guys get credit and buy cell phones and transfer real estate without giving your SSN??? 

BTW, the Verizon store manager told me I was only the third person who'd ever refused to give their SSN in the 2.5 years he managed a store...

You are not required to have or give a Social Security Account Number to get a cell phone account with Verizon Wireless. You may just stand your ground, if you have beliefs like I do, and state "We don't use them in my religion." They use it for the look up number with the credit reporting agencies to check your credit. They claim then that they can't check your credit, so they will need a security deposit. You pay it. A year later, they pay it back with interest.

You have to be nicely firm and not be made to move to "the back of the bus" because of your beliefs. There's up to a $10,000 fine for discrimination against you based on your religion. Just stand at the counter, don't back away or let someone take your place at the counter - just stand there to continue to sign up for your new phone (be prepared with maybe even $400 for the deposit). They will have to go to their supervisor, their supervisor will have to go to some regional hooptie and sooner or later they will get to the guy who knows and the word will come back down and they'll give you the account. Be nice, be confident and cheerful, but DO NOT MOVE from your spot at the counter until you get your phone account - they will have to deal with it.

[Vote Tyler Stearns]

Thanks Jaqeboy...that information was most helpful for my family's current situation. 

On another note, I took my daughter to the pediatrician today and as I checked her in (she goes all the time,  and he's been my kid's doctor for 18 years), the receptionist asked to confirm my phone numbers, address, etc.  Then, she asked what I do for work (not WHERE I work), but my job title and whether I'm full-time or not.  I asked her why she needed to know this information.  She said "I'm required to get this information for your file."  I told her I didn't feel it was information necessary to provide medical services to my children.  It's a small waiting room and it was packed so everyone's staring at me.  I held my ground and refused to provide that information. 

Maybe I'm getting more sensitive to the intrusiveness of businesses and government into our personal information, but I don't remember being asked to provide so much information before. 

Also, a long while back I wrote about a coworker whose dad went to a local doctor for a medical problem.  He's an old guy with no insurance, but pays for any medical bills cash, up front if required.  The receptionist asked for his SSN and he refused to give it.  Asked why they needed it.  They said for collection purposes should he not pay and for identification purposes for insurance.  He told them he didn't have insurance, that he'd pay cash up front if they wanted.  They refused to see and treat him. 

[coffeeseven]

Glad I'm not the only malcontent curmudgeon in the world Malevil!!! I don't play the 40 questions game either. By the way I have a Tracfone this time. Last time was another pay-as-you-go carrier. I change numbers every once in a while. The few I know and trust get the new number. I lose the rest. Very refreshing.

Vent: I friggin' hate it when some corporate robot says "what's your social?"

Not "what's your social security number". What's your social.
"I don't have one".
Long pause followed by bup, bup, k? What do you mean you don't have one?
"I canceled it"
"Ummmmmm...You can't do that"
"I did"
"Really?"
Then we talk tax, licenses, the Browns, etc.
I love it.

[Romak]

Try finding a car insurance company who doesn't require your SS# as well. We found one that doesn't but the majority of them run a credit check before issuing insurance. Which is pretty amusing considering its mandatory to have in most states. So you are basically forced to give it out.I know plenty of people with great credit who are dangerous drivers and people like my wife who have horrible credit but she is the one of the safest drivers I've met.  Personally I don't have a cell phone because of a lot of reasons, some being that you can be tracked, monitored, and listened to even when its turned off. The more people that have this personal information the greater chance of you being a victim of identity theft. Its their company if they want to ask you for your social to run a credit check before issuing you a phone thats their right, its also your right to tell them to piss off and take your business elsewhere. The more people that do this the more likely it will be that they reverse their policy.

[J’raxis 270145]

Try finding a car insurance company who doesn't require your SS# as well. We found one that doesn't but the majority of them run a credit check before issuing insurance. Which is pretty amusing considering its mandatory to have in most states.

Fortunately, it's not required in New Hampshire, so I won't have to try to find one of these companies.

Personally I don't have a cell phone because of a lot of reasons, some being that you can be tracked, monitored, and listened to even when its turned off.

Take the battery out when you're not using it. And if you do suspect it's being used as a bug while it's ostensibly off, see if it's warm when it shouldn't be, and see if your battery is dying faster than it ought to. They might be able to hide their buggering of your cell phone, but they can't break the laws of physics.

The more people that have this personal information the greater chance of you being a victim of identity theft. Its their company if they want to ask you for your social to run a credit check before issuing you a phone thats their right, its also your right to tell them to piss off and take your business elsewhere. The more people that do this the more likely it will be that they reverse their policy.

[coffeeseven]

Try finding a car insurance company who doesn't require your SS# as well. We found one that doesn't but the majority of them run a credit check before issuing insurance. Which is pretty amusing considering its mandatory to have in most states. So you are basically forced to give it out.I know plenty of people with great credit who are dangerous drivers and people like my wife who have horrible credit but she is the one of the safest drivers I've met.  Personally I don't have a cell phone because of a lot of reasons, some being that you can be tracked, monitored, and listened to even when its turned off. The more people that have this personal information the greater chance of you being a victim of identity theft. Its their company if they want to ask you for your social to run a credit check before issuing you a phone thats their right, its also your right to tell them to piss off and take your business elsewhere. The more people that do this the more likely it will be that they reverse their policy.

Darn difficult to operate without a SSN but not impossible if you're very clever and don't mind being patient. "They" are counting on us to be so impatient for whatever product or service that we'll jump through any hoop to get it. One of the trouble spots is that you can't even get electric or gas service without vomiting the number. We need to be our own power companies.

What's the name of the insurance company Romak if you don't mind divulging.

[jaqeboy]

Darn difficult to operate without a SSN but not impossible if you're very clever and don't mind being patient. "They" are counting on us to be so impatient for whatever product or service that we'll jump through any hoop to get it. One of the trouble spots is that you can't even get electric or gas service without vomiting the number. We need to be our own power companies.

Agreed, it takes patience and numbers of us going for no-SSN services (as well as pursuing complaints or suits when we are denied services, etc.) to keep their demands in line. It generally takes more time and persistence, but you have to be prepared to pay that price to succeed at maintaining your privacy. Know that and make your decision accordingly - Whining about it won't help.

I have not found that the SSN is needed for electric service with PSNH (unless they have one on file for me from way back and I've forgotten ever giving it).

Reducing dependence on any service that absolutely requires an SSN will help til you can get to the point that you're off it and using some "alternative."