Many people think they have to provide their SSN to creditors or government entities that ask for it. But this isn’t always true—in some cases, you don’t have to reveal it.
Ask Questions before deciding whether to give out your SSN number:
Why do you need my number? How will my number be used? What law requires me to give you my
number? What will happen if I don’t give you my
number? Can I give you an identifier other than my
SSN, or just the last four digits of my SSN? Can my account be set up so that I can use an
identifier other than my SSN (for example, a
combination of letters from my last name and
numbers)?Sometimes businesses have a legitimate reason to ask for your number (for example, when you apply for credit), but, in other cases, they simply want it for general record keeping. You don’t have to give a business your SSN just because they request it.
