md@marvin.UUCP (10/20/87)
Recently while I was ordering new telephone service from New England Telephone, I was asked to provide my Social Security number. I refused, and there was no problem. When asked, the service representative explained that the numbers are used for internal credit checking purposes, and that they were not required. I wonder how useful they could be for credit checking if they are not mandatory? If I gave them my number today and ran up unpaid bills, I certainly wouldn't give it to them the next time. (Unlike some states, there is no deposit in Massachusetts.) I think that it is legal for anyone to ask me for my SS number and to use it for things like credit checks. Do others also have the right to *publish* it? Can we expect N.E. Telephone to be selling a list of names, addresses, phone numbers and SS numbers some day? If so, should a monopoly public utility be allowed to do it? ...!harvard!umb!ileaf!md Mark Dionne, Interleaf ...!sun!sunne!ileaf!md Ten Canal Park, Cambridge, MA 02141 (617) 577-9813 x5551