3. ELI5:How does your social security number contain so much information about you?

ELI5:How does your social security number contain so much information about you?

You just said why is such as big deal. We don't have a "national ID" in the US. The SSN is it. Yes, it's an outdated system...but it is what we have, and that should answer your question as to why is a big deal. We JUST got credit cards with chips in major use FFS, like...6 months ago. All it would take is some basic information, your SSN, and MAYBE learn your signature, and they could open up loans for hundreds of thousands of dollars, or more if your credit is good. And then you have to prove that the loan given to someone with your name, address and you're private social security number was fraudulent, and that it wasn't you. They could change your insurance policies so that should anything happen to you, they get paid or collect your social security checks, etc. They can use credit cards opened in your name to fund illegal activities...and then it's on you to prove it wasn't you who opened the accounts...ands all they needed was your name, address, maybe your place of birth, and your private SSN.

/r/explainlikeimfive Thread Parent
Previous
Next

Recently removed from /r/explainlikeimfive

Eli5 What’s the difference between declaring bankruptcy and just being broke? Eli5: How do music producers (Especially Hip Hop producers) sample a stem from a song without taking the rest of the song with it? ELI5: Why is a 12V battery in a car so dangerous to short circuit but a normal 12V battery is harmless? ELI5: How do our brains remember things? ELI5 Why do we feel pain and how does our body know when to stop feeling it? ELI5: How are you able to go to bed super hungry, but wake up the next morning and not feel the need to eat anything? ELI5: where is the ringing noise coming from with tinnitus?? can’t google because it thinks im asking how people get tinnitus… Eli5 - Why do shows like American Idol and The Voice have such a low rate of producing/finding people who can be a commercial success? ELI5: What are "deductibles" in the context of medical insurance? If you're paying insurance, why do you still get charged an often large part of your medical expenses when you have an accident? ELI5 is looking for new moderators! ELI5 How do alligators & crocs, too I suppose, swim underwater in sandy, marshy water and not react to sand getting in their eyes? eli5: In the days of muskets, why did armies March straight towards each others fire? ELI5: Why do certain countries have ridiculous amount of hydrocarbons(oil and natural gas) and the countries right next to them have virtually none? Eli5: what exactly is a virus and are viruses alive? ELI5: How does a variable-yield nuclear weapon work to allow the operator to control the strength of the explosion?

More Random Comments

How has your gamedev journey been so far? Has anyone been to Thermea recently? How was your experience? You ever get emotionally attached to a piece of clothing? That is me with this shirt rn. My mom just got diagnosed What was everyone’s Rolex journey? Will external markers be as superficial as this too? How do you stop the Sunday night work dread? People from privileged groups may misperceive equality-boosting policies as harmful to them, even if they would actually benefit Can't sit even in my own garden without smelling weed smoke! Raising a vegetarian child in a meat eating world? On week 2 lectures, midterm tmr. Advice on dealing w/ depression in college? should financial restitution ever be made? Summary of most interactions on this subreddit AITA for telling my fiancé I won't proceed with our wedding if he insists on inviting his female friend? Ummm, hello??