🚀 go-pugleaf

>And, unlike names and addresses, a person's SSN cannot be duplicated or 
>changed.  An SSN, once issued, is ours to keep. It never changes.  The SSN is
>truly the "universal identifier."

I have read that due to 45 years of clerical errors there are over four
million people who have either more than one SSN or use an SSN also used
by someone else.  It is a gross oversimplification to claim that the SSN is
unique.

>With a correct SSN in hand, an employer will be able to 
>obtain a broad spectrum of data of great significance in pre-employment 
>investigations.  Without it, however, the employer will be blocked from 
>receiving accurate information.

This is also grossly oversimplified.  You're probably referring to the
personal data banks kept by outfits like Equifax, in which roughly 1/3 of
the records contain data that is obsolete or just plain wrong.  It would
be more correct to say that the SSN makes it easier obtain unverified
and often inaccurate information.  Also note that the only two data banks
legitimately indexed by SSN, those kept by the SSA and IRS are legally
off limits to prospective employers, whether or not they have an SSN.

>SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TABLE
>
>AREA    HIGHEST GROUP NUMBERS           STATE OR TERRITORY
>NUMBER  odd<10 even>=10 even<10 odd>10
>
>000     none   none     none    none    unassigned
>001     09     74       none    none    New Hampshire
 ...

You might also tell us when you compiled this table.  Since several
million new SSNs are issued each year, tables like this rapidly go out of
date.

Regards,
John Levine, johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl