Social Security Numbers and Identity Theft

Social Security Numbers are powerful tools of identification. With it, it is easy for someone to commit identity theft. find out what changes are being made to safeguard your privacy.

Social Security numbers have often been the subject of debate ever since public records databases began rolling out online access. Litigants in cases where personal data formed part of the evidence or were mentioned in court transcripts, often petition that the data be redacted or stricken from the records before they are made public.

However, many courts across the country regularly redact sensitive data of their own accord even without petition, fully aware of the dangers of identity theft. Aside from Social Security data, bank and credit account numbers are redacted by an increasing number of court websites.

The danger of identity theft has been deemed so important by the US Judiciary that even in courts that have recently opened their criminal records for online access, the birth dates of parties involved in a case have been redacted from the records, leaving just months and years.

Identity theft is when the personal data of another person is used to perpetrate fraud and other criminal acts.

Social Security Numbers - Is It Legal to Put Them Online?

Social security numbers are, technically, a matter of public record since they involve transactions with a government agency. However, it is less a matter of legality for many states than a question of its responsibility in protecting its citizens from being victimized by fraud.

In April 2006, reports from Florida stated that the personal data of its residents dating back to 1978 could be accessed via the Internet. This raised a howl since this included such sensitive data as Social Security and driving license numbers as well as details of residents' bank accounts! The data was an identity theft goldmine!

What is even worse is that Florida is only one of many states that have public access laws, which give officials the mandate to make records available over the Internet without the benefit of redaction (blacking out sensitive data).

Some states, however, have held back on the practice of such free online access (e.g., California). Many litigants also routinely petition the courts where their cases are tried to strike out sensitive data from online records. Moreover, state residents have gone to court to gain protection for their personal data (e.g. Ohio).

The good news is that, little by little, states across the country are relenting as regards exercising freedom to public access.

Florida passed a new law, effective January 2007, ordering the redaction of personal data, such as Social Security numbers, from county records before making them available online. The people of Florida can only hope that they do not fall prey to identity thieves before that time.
 

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