Originally published July 25 2005
Some U.S. identity theft victims change Social Security numbers
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Governments and businesses are scrambling to find effective solutions to identity theft, and roughly 1,000 victims of the crime have actually changed their Social Security numbers, reports the Post-Gazette.
As companies roll out a growing variety of tools to combat identity theft, some Americans are taking a more radical step: changing their Social Security number.
Not only does the Social Security Administration demand heavy, documented proof of hardship -- but it also means that an individual must then track down every bank, utility, credit-card association and government agency that might have the old number on file, and persuade them to use the new one.
With little more than a valid Social Security number and street address, a thief can often fraudulently open credit-card accounts or apply for loans in someone else's name, severely damaging his credit record.
Many people, though, are frustrated to discover that it doesn't solve their problems.
In fact, some privacy advocates, government officials and consumers who have been through the ordeal warn that it can actually make matters worse in some circumstances.
Scott Lewis, an X-ray technician from Wintersville, Ohio, changed his number a few years ago to untangle his identity from a repeat drunken-driving offender who at one point faced murder charges.
Mr. Lewis first noticed a problem during a job search: Several times he was told he was a top candidate for a job, but then would never hear back.
Finally, "one manager picked up the phone and said, 'You're an unsavory character, don't ever call here again,' " Mr. Lewis says.
Though the SSA doesn't track an acceptance rate, more applications are denied than accepted.
That means when a potential employer, landlord or bank looks at the victim's credit report, they see a clean record linked to a troubled one.
It raises flags, and a victim may have even more explaining to do.
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