Military IDs to list only last four digits of SSNs

[unhappycamper]

Military IDs to list only last four digits of SSNs
By Charlie Reed, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Sunday, May 18, 2008

When Social Security numbers were essentially worthless, they used to be stitched and spray-painted on troops’ duffel bags.

Now that identity thieves can parlay the numbers into thousands of dollars or more, the Department of Defense is trying to make them invisible. And not just to the naked eye.

The DOD recently announced it will begin truncating Social Security numbers on military identification cards in December. Only the last four digits of the number will appear on the card. Along with limiting their visibility, military agencies are also moving toward using the shortened versions when sharing records.

The plan is part of a bigger federal fight against large-scale cyber crime rings.

"Data breach, that’s been the focus of our attention," said Mary Dixon, director of the Defense Manpower Data Center, a DoD clearinghouse for personnel and training databases in Arlington, Va. "Many more people have been affected that way."


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54903

[tbyg52]

1. That's better than the whole thing

but the last four are often used for ID - I've had my credit union ask me for them at the drive-up lane.

[enlightenment]

2. Interesting.

When I was in the AF, almost 30 years ago - they used only the last four digits. We were even issued stamps with the last four to mark our uniforms.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. My service time was all in the 60s ..... we never used our SS nunbers

We used our service numbers. I still know mine as well as I know my house address. I know it better, actually, than my cell phone number.

They were alphanumeric - one leading alpha and six digits.

[unhappycamper]

4. Yup..... RA176....

I hadn't thought of that numbah in years.