got a call from the shipper in Los Angeles - they have the floor mats, but since they are valued at over 200 bucks, they are asking for my social security number.

I asked if there was any other kind of identification that I could provide besides my social security number - she didn't understand the question. I asked why she needed it - she said because its valued over 200 bucks. not sure that made any sense.

yes, I'll figure out something, but I'm really iffy about giving out my social security number to anyone. I've even obtained credit cards without providing my social secuirty number. You don't have to provide one at all.

I've also heard that the law states that businesses cannot ask for your social security number for identification purposes. I'm currently looking into that right now.

Anyone got any suggestions or gotten around this?

Thanks!

 

I asked my wife (she is a CPA) why they want your social security number and she told me it is because you are now consider an import business, and since you do not have business tax id number (I assume), they want your social security number. It probably will not be a problem, but Uncle Sam wants to keep and eye on you if they think that you might be making money. The only solution that I can think of is if you do have a business id number is to give them that. Since you will not be making a profit it really shouldn't be a problem.

Uncle like to know what we are up to.

 

thanks for the response. that's pretty much what I figured.

it just gets quite scarey when any ole joe asks me for my social security number. I asked her for the number to the switchboard and then back to her - so it was 'legit'. I never give out anything if I didn't call them in the first place.

am I paranoid? well, lets put it this way, the project I'm working on up in Dallas is a joint venture between my company and another company. the company up here in Dallas is the largest credit bureau aggrigator in the US with the three credit bureaus. I have learned quite a bit while I'm up here, and after knowing this much, yes, I'm paranoid about giving that out.

 

I had the same problem for GB #1. The woman on the phone is not to bright. But she said that it would be much more of a hassle not to give her my SS # than to give it.

 

I had the same thing happen and while I was uneasy about giving her my ssn, I figured it would probably be more of a pain not to. I also did a group buy for the roof well mats and didn't have to do this. I know that all 16 of the mats in the box would be worth more than $200, but it wasn't a problem. The only difference I see is that these were shipped using TNT and the roof well mats used UPS. You would think that the rules would be the same for both, so that doesn't make any sense.

I know what you're taking about Randy. If anybody has reason to be paranoid, I do. I had a roommate in college steal my identity and get two credit cards and a cellphone in my name. It was a pain to get that taken care of. I had to sign a bunch of affadavits saying I didn't know about or authorize these accounts and they removed it from my credit reports. I definitely learned a lot dealing with that fiasco.

Mark

 

Some guy in the news lately has been charged with "identity theft" after he obtained a number of S.S. numbers and other banking/credit information via the internet from a number of people on the Forbes 400 list. Before he was finally arrested it is alleged that he stole millions from these people. Scary, isn't it?