tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16054062.post1872883274579474347..comments2023-11-02T11:39:13.495+02:00Comments on The idiot's mind: ID Numbers, ID theft and Privacyalapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05293481095724720060noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16054062.post-58072158504896677692009-07-29T02:39:29.672+02:002009-07-29T02:39:29.672+02:00The interesting thing is how ignorant consumers of...The interesting thing is how ignorant consumers of ID numbers are. Case in point - a buddy of mine was trying to get a visa to the US, and discovered he was wanted for two major crimes - a hit 'n run involving a fatality, and a robbery. In both cases, the suspect had been arrested by the police, and they had given their ID number, which turned out to be my friend's. The amazing thing is, in both cases the people involved were way older than he was - but the police writing the docket obviously did not know that the first two numbers are the year of birth, because that would have immediately told them that the numbers were fake. <br /><br />In the US, the problem is worse, because social security numbers often have collisions (they are only 9 digits). Even worse, your social security card only has your name and the number. So it should be easy to fake. Fortunately, people here have gotten smart about consuming them - only a few places ask them, and those that do require you to present two other independent forms of photo ID to link your face to your name to your social security number.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601466937075339897noreply@blogger.com