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Show Social Security Numbers Should Not Be Used for Any Identification Purposes , Recently police officer called us. It seems someone in the vicinity vi-cinity had been cashing personal person-al checks with various merchants. merch-ants. As identification, the store personnel had accepted social security se-curity numbers. The police officer offi-cer asked if it would be possible to locate persons through the use of the numbers. Social security numbers are used for two purposes. The first and primary intent is to identify identi-fy and establish and keep current cur-rent the earnings record of those individuals who are either employed em-ployed or self-employed in occupations occu-pations covered by the Act (Currently, (Cur-rently, nine out of ten working Americans are so occupied.) That record Is the basis on which pay- J ments are made to help replace! lost income should the owner of the number retire, die, or become so disabled that he is unable to work. Currently, the Internal revenue reve-nue service requires almost everyone every-one to have a tax identification number. The Social Security number fills that need and is the second use being made of your number. Cther uses of the number generally gen-erally are not proper. In fact, if you will examine your card you will find the legend "for Social Security and tax purposes not for identification." (Cards issued early in the program do not carry car-ry that legend). As many of you realize, information infor-mation about your social security securi-ty is confidential Even if this were not so no attempt is made to keep current the addresses of many millions of assigned numbers. num-bers. Therefore the Social Security Secur-ity number is not a good tool for. trying to trace someone whether whe-ther he is a rubber check artist, long lost relative or what have you. In fact Social Security regulations regu-lations specifically forbid such attempts. Although your social security card has little value as a means of identification, it is one of the most important documents you possess. It is often yours and your family's key to future security. Therefore be certain your employer em-ployer has your correct number. If you marry or otherwise change your name notify your nearest Social Security office in addition addi-tion to your employer. Also check your account periodially. Post card forms, OAR-70W, request for statement of earnings are available in every Social Security Securi-ty district office and from your representative who is at the Social So-cial Security office In Cedar City, 93 North Main Street lie is there each Monday and Tuesday from 9 a. m. until 3 p. m. He will be glad to help you with your Social Security problems. |