Why do they ask for SS#?

[Ohmslaw]

I want to make changes to my account but when I call the representative ask me for the last 4 of my SS#. I don't give this out to anyone. Is this even legal? Anyone can figure out the first 5 by knowing where and when you were born. How do I make changes to my account without supplying this?

[Weth]

It's legal and they are confirming your identity so someone else doesn't buy things against your account or make changes to your account. Most companies will look for multiple confirmations - name, SSN, DOB. Accounts should have a personal PIN, you can ask if this is active and if you can verify identity by PIN rather than SSN. Verizon already has your full SSN if you are postpay, so as long as you are confident you are dealing with Verizon, it is just identity confirmation. If it was a cold call and you answered, I would be more wary.

[Snn5 · Accepted solution]

It is known as your account PIN.  Last 4 of SSN unless you change it to something else in My Verizon profile settings.

[Ohmslaw]

Hey thanks for the replies. I was able to change the number that they asked for.

[mama23dogs]

Ohmslaw wrote:

I want to make changes to my account but when I call the representative ask me for the last 4 of my SS#. I don't give this out to anyone. Is this even legal? Anyone can figure out the first 5 by knowing where and when you were born. How do I make changes to my account without supplying this?

You can change your PIN number to another number.  The last 4 of the social is the default.  I change mine every time it's used, just in case.

AS for the first 5 being easy to guess, thats a myth.   The middle numbers are group numbers.

The other 3 numbers are regional.  By your thinking, my sons and I should all have the same 3 digit number, because we were all born in the same state and town.  (Oddly enough, I had moved back to the same town when my kids were born)

The Social Security Number - HowStuffWorks

[Ohmslaw]

Thanks for the info. I did end up changing my pin. I wish the first rep I had talked to didn't insist that it had to be my SS#. The second one I talked to was much more helpful.

Reading that ink only confirms my concerns.

The first three numbers are assigned by state. If you were born in say Kentucky, the numbers would be 400 to 407. If you know the last four, born in Kentucky and totally guessing the middle two numbers, there are only 800 combinations. That could be cracked in a few hours. If you look at a state like Wyoming, they only have 520 assigned to them. That narrows the max guesses to 100. Not good odds if you are gambling with you credit identity.