Re: SSN and passport

[Tim May <tcmay@got.net>]

At 5:02 PM -0400 5/27/97, Mark M. wrote:

>I don't know the reason, but the IRS tax code requires that all passport
>applicants supply their SSNs to the IRS.  The penalty for failing to
>notify is $500.  I recently encountered this situation and just left
>the SSN blank.  After explaining to the lady behind the counter that
>I was not required to give my SSN to the State Department, she eventually
>accepted the application without the SSN.  I sent a letter to the IRS
>(address where tax returns are supposed to be sent) explainging the
>situation and included my SSN in the letter.  I applied for the passport
>two months ago and have not been hassled by the IRS.  A sample letter
>is at ftp.cpsr.org/cpsr/privacy/ssn/passport.ps.  There's also more
>about this in the SSN FAQ.

Good for you, seriously, but you may not yet have heard the last of this.
As with "frivolous returns" (such as writing comments on the tax forms
submitted, arguing that taxes are not valid, etc.), it is not so much a
matter of the IRS "hassling" you, as a computer-generated letter arriving
stating that you now owe X amount in additional taxes, an amount which
slowly grows with each passing month of doing nothing about it.

I tried to not give my SS number to the California Department of Motor
Vehicles, citing the line on my SS card which says quite clearly:

"FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND TAX PURPOSES -- NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION"

(This is an exact quote, read from my 1968-9-issued card, which I still have.)

Just which part of this do the folks in various government agencies not
understand?

The woman behind the desk didn't seem interested in my point and just said
that without a valid SS number, no registration tags would be issued. It
was then my choice to drive without tags (and get a ticket anytime a cop
noticed this and decided to act on it) or seek some kind of legal
restraining order (???, but probably $$$).

But this has given me some ideas, which I'll share with you.

With all the various companies and agencies demanding the SS number, why
not demand SS number, mother's maiden name, date of birth, etc., for *all
kinds* of casual things?

If the agencies and companies are so cavalier about ignoring the clear
stipulation that the SS card/number is *not* a general identification
scheme, then it is very doubtful that asking people to supply all this sort
of information is not violating any law.

(If there's a law I could be charged with violating, I'd cite selective
enforcement, noting that my local Mervyns store wanted my SS number a
couple of days ago, the DMV wants SS numbers and other personal info, etc.)

And since several of these numbers are essentially the keys to many
security systems....

--Tim May

There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
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