Random musings of one Columbian, a place to connect and to learn more about issues and events in Howard County. If you would like to have me blog on an issue, organization or an upcoming community service event email me at duanestclair@gmail.com To follow HoCo Connect by email enter your email below.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
With hack of Experian it is time for Social Security to protect our SS numbers
Anyone who has tried to lock their credit with the three credit agencies has been met with frustration in getting to anyone at those agencies. The phone line at Experian just tells you to call back. The other credit agency lines just leave you on hold. It was just a matter of time before one of these companies was hacked. Our Social Security numbers will all be available to criminal hackers now. So who is to blame? The credit agencies of course but Social Security also shares a great deal of blame too. We have lived in a world where identity theft has existed for a long time. Our Social Security numbers are now to currency that hackers need to steal identities. What has Social Security done to protect our numbers? NOTHING! They act like it is not their problem but it is. They have been neglectful in not devising a way to give us additional protection for our identities.
So what should Social Security do to protect our identities? One step might be what banks do with debit cards and require a pin number to use the card. Social Security should give us the option of setting up a pin number for use of our Social Security number. The pin numbers that banks use are never stored where the rest of our banking information is stored. If you have ever tried to get a pin number changed you realize how the banks are very careful of who can change the number.
There maybe other better ways to secure our Social Security numbers but it is imperative that Social Security take responsibility for the central role they play in identity theft.
You can also make sure that in medical offices that you DO NOT put your social security # on their paperwork. It winds up in EMR's which are very easily hacked. I know Medicare #'s used to be a SS #, but I don't know if that is the case anymore?
ReplyDeleteSS is going to give Medicare person's new numbers soon
ReplyDeleteApril 2018
ReplyDelete