Re: The Joys of Being Canadian

>Cable Company Rep:  "What's your Social Security number?
>Answer:  "I don't have one.  I'm Canadian."

For my cable company I asked why they wanted it.  For a security check when
you call in was the response.  Does it need to be an actuall social
security number?  No, just something you can remember when you call up.

012-01-0123 I replied.  They were quite happy to use that as my "Social
Security Number" in their database.    As far as cable goes they don't want
your social security number.  I wonder how many others would be happy to
substitute something.




Matt <mailto:melliott@itmail.ncsa.uiuc.edu>

At 8:54 PM -0700 12/15/97, Lynne L. Harrison wrote:

>When my cable company asked for my SSN, I told them that I was not going to
>disclose it.  Of course, the refusal sent the lame-brain into a brain-dead
>state. I finally volunteered that they could use my middle name for
>verification purposes.  I could actually hear the "Thank you for solving
>this problem!" in the employee's voice....

When I told the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in California that I
would not be providnig my SS number, either from the tattoo on my forarm or
from the card which reads "Not to be used for identification," the droid
said, "Fine, then you won't get a driver's license."


(Not actually. In reality, I capitulated and gave my SS number, despite the
inappropriateness of the SS number as any kind of identifier. Someday there
will be a major court challenge to this practice of using the SS number as
a universal identifier, but I didn't feel like committing a couple of
hundred thousand dollars to fighting this for several years.)

As to Duncan's frequent "I'm a Canadian" point, the foreigners I've known
over the years have had to a) get an SS number, even if working for short
periods, or b) have had to produce their foreign-country passport.

So, Duncan, does this "But I'm Canadian, and I don't need to show you no
steenking cards!" shtick really, actually, work, or is this just a nice
theory?

(If it _really_ works, I'll tell a friend of mine from Denmark that she can
just tell all the SS number requesters that she's from Denmark.)


--Tim May

The Feds have shown their hand: they want a ban on domestic cryptography
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES:   408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^2,976,221   | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

On mar 16 déc  1997 à 07:13:44PM -0700, Tim May wrote:
> As to Duncan's frequent "I'm a Canadian" point, the foreigners I've known
> over the years have had to a) get an SS number, even if working for short
> periods, or b) have had to produce their foreign-country passport.

Or both of them, actually (NJ...)

> (If it _really_ works, I'll tell a friend of mine from Denmark that she can
> just tell all the SS number requesters that she's from Denmark.)

On a previous (shorter) stay in the US, I didn't have a SSN. Yet I got a
DL (with my passport) (this was Missouri). And after a few long
discussions on the phone on why I didn't have a SSN, I gave up the
explanations and started giving my french SSN (after all, it was a valid
answer to the question "what is your social security number"), actually
a substring. Interestly enough, SSNs in France are not supposed to be
used for identification or taxes purposes, just for medical purposes
IIRC. A recent project by the government to link medical databases and
tax database opened a controversial discussion...

                         F.

-- 
Fabrice Planchon                                          (ph) 609/258-6495
Applied Math Program, 210 Fine Hall                      (fax) 609/258-1735

> On a previous (shorter) stay in the US, I didn't have a SSN. Yet I got a
> DL (with my passport) (this was Missouri). And after a few long
> discussions on the phone on why I didn't have a SSN, I gave up the
> explanations and started giving my french SSN (after all, it was a valid
> answer to the question "what is your social security number"), actually
> a substring. Interestly enough, SSNs in France are not supposed to be
> used for identification or taxes purposes, just for medical purposes
> IIRC. A recent project by the government to link medical databases and
> tax database opened a controversial discussion...

It has not, until very recently, been common to use SSN or driver 
numbers in the UK as ID, I don`t know if they were or were not originally 
intended as ID in this country, I don`t think so, but was met with 
abusive argument and suspicion when I refused to give my SSN a few days 
ago as ID, look like the UK govt. is taking a leaf out of billy-bobs 
book, oh dear...

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