How many of you know your social Security number by heart?

I'm watching some police-arrest videos and when they can't find ID they
ask the person for his SSN and of course they don't know that either,
often because they are hiding their identity.

But I wonder how likely it is that a normal person would know his SSN.

I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.

So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
don't know to discriminate invidiously.

On 4/9/2024 11:00 PM, micky wrote:
> How many of you know your social Security number by heart?
>
> I'm watching some police-arrest videos and when they can't find ID they
> ask the person for his SSN and of course they don't know that either,
> often because they are hiding their identity.
>
> But I wonder how likely it is that a normal person would know his SSN.
>
> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.
>
> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
> don't know to discriminate invidiously.

Not sure how old I was when I got mine, sometime in my teens. Memorized
it back then. Still have the original issue card too.

On 4/9/2024 10:23 PM, Ed P wrote:
> On 4/9/2024 11:00 PM, micky wrote:
>> How many of you know your social Security number by heart?
>>
>> I'm watching some police-arrest videos and when they can't find ID they
>> ask the person for his SSN and of course they don't know that either,
>> often because they are hiding their identity.
>>
>> But I wonder how likely it is that a normal person would know his SSN.
>>
>> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
>> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
>> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.
>>
>> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
>> don't know to discriminate invidiously.
>
>
> Not sure how old I was when I got mine, sometime in my teens.  Memorized
> it back then.  Still have the original issue card too.

My original card was in a wallet that was stolen many years ago . But
I do know my number - and my wife's too . I can also remember my
childhood phone number and that of my paternal grandparents .
--
Snag
"They may take our lives but
they'll never take our freedom."
William Wallace

On 2024-04-10, micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
> How many of you know your social Security number by heart?

I do, of course. I also know my husband's.

I know my driver's license number, but not my husband's. It's not
needed as often.

> I'm watching some police-arrest videos and when they can't find ID they
> ask the person for his SSN and of course they don't know that either,
> often because they are hiding their identity.
>
> But I wonder how likely it is that a normal person would know his SSN.
>
> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.

Mine isn't any kind of pattern. I just memorized it, as we used to
memorize phone numbers. Brute force and repetition.

> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
> don't know to discriminate invidiously.

Count me among the "everyone else".

--
Cindy Hamilton

micky wrote:
> How many of you know your social Security number by heart?
>
> I'm watching some police-arrest videos and when they can't find ID they
> ask the person for his SSN and of course they don't know that either,
> often because they are hiding their identity.
>
> But I wonder how likely it is that a normal person would know his SSN.
>
> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.
>
> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
> don't know to discriminate invidiously.
>

Got it memorized but if I forget, I'll just google it. ☺

On 4/9/2024 11:00 PM, micky wrote:
> How many of you know your social Security number by heart?
>
> I'm watching some police-arrest videos and when they can't find ID they
> ask the person for his SSN and of course they don't know that either,
> often because they are hiding their identity.
>
> But I wonder how likely it is that a normal person would know his SSN.
>
> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.
>
> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
> don't know to discriminate invidiously.

In addition to doing my own income tax returns for the past 62 years, I
served 30 years on active duty in the Navy and have received almost all
my medical care at Walter Reed before and since retirement 22 years ago.
I've had plenty of time to memorize my SSN by now. A few years ago,
for privacy reasons, DoD removed the SSN from our military ID cards and
replaced that number with an even longer DoD ID number which is now how
we're identified on our military health records. I've yet to reliably
memorize that new number when asked for it every time I call central
appointments and visit a clinic or military pharmacy. I still remember
both my own home phone number when a pre-teenager and that of my
grandmother from back in the in 1950s. However, these days, even after
more than a decade using the same cell phone number, I still make
mistakes when asked for it and have never reliably memorized it. Just
don't ask me for ANY of my web user IDs/passwords. Especially for those
long nonsense passwords I'm required to change every 90 days. We lived
in our previous residence for 30 years. We've lived at our present one
for 7. I still struggle not to transpose the digits on our new street
address and zip code. It's frustrating! Our entire modern society has
become totally dependent on providing strings of digits.

In article <kvvb1jdhke1rg8e4asaa7dgdnp6abgqs19@4ax.com>, NONONOmisc07
@fmguy.com says...
>
> How many of you know your social Security number by heart?
>
> I'm watching some police-arrest videos and when they can't find ID they
> ask the person for his SSN and of course they don't know that either,
> often because they are hiding their identity.
>
> But I wonder how likely it is that a normal person would know his SSN.
>
>

Older people should. Seems that almost everything is by ssn or the last
4 digits of your ssn.

Younger people not so much.

As an older person I have known mine for many years and still have a ss
card from when I was about 16.

I think now you get one when born in the US.

On 4/9/24 22:00, micky wrote:

[snip]

> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.

I know mine, and have since I was 18.

> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
> don't know to discriminate invidiously.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my religion." -- President
Abraham Lincoln

On 2024-04-10, Retirednoguilt <HapilyRetired@fakeaddress.com> wrote:
>
> However, these days, even after
> more than a decade using the same cell phone number, I still make
> mistakes when asked for it and have never reliably memorized it.

I would be in the same situation, except that the loyalty program at
my grocery store has me punch in my cell phone number to get my
coupons. Once a week for a few years did it.

> Just
> don't ask me for ANY of my web user IDs/passwords.

I have a fair few of those memorized. And, of course, the login
on my Linux PC.

> Especially for those
> long nonsense passwords I'm required to change every 90 days.

I'm happy I don't have any of those.

> Our entire modern society has
> become totally dependent on providing strings of digits.

Soon it'll just be an eyeball scan or something.

--
Cindy Hamilton

In alt.home.repair, on 10 Apr 2024 17:34:02 GMT, Cindy Hamilton
<hamilton@invalid.com> wrote:

>On 2024-04-10, Retirednoguilt <HapilyRetired@fakeaddress.com> wrote:
>>
>> However, these days, even after
>> more than a decade using the same cell phone number, I still make
>> mistakes when asked for it and have never reliably memorized it.
>
>I would be in the same situation, except that the loyalty program at
>my grocery store has me punch in my cell phone number to get my
>coupons. Once a week for a few years did it.

I use my home phone for that, and it was so easy to memorize I knew it
30 minutes after I first heard it. It was the phone number of the man
who owned the house I wanted to buy. I begged him to let me have it
when he moved, back to Louisiana, and he did. He had to give permission
to the phone company for me to have it.
>
>> Just
>> don't ask me for ANY of my web user IDs/passwords.
>
>I have a fair few of those memorized. And, of course, the login
>on my Linux PC.

I have a couple memorized. If I had it to do over again, I'd have
ignored some of the advice given out and used the same userid and
password for every site except those involving money. Like my
electricians forum, toyota forum,... What do I care if someone hacks
into one from the other?

>> Especially for those
>> long nonsense passwords I'm required to change every 90 days.
>
>I'm happy I don't have any of those.

Me too (happy). Me neither (don't have any). I still have a bank
password from 1993. Wait, no, it's my ATM password. It's only 4 digits
long and I use the same number for all 4 digits. So far so good.

What annoys me is that they don't tell you their rules for passwords
until after you've chosen one and try to enter it. Why don't they give
the rules in advance?

>> Our entire modern society has
>> become totally dependent on providing strings of digits.
>
>Soon it'll just be an eyeball scan or something.

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 10 Apr 2024 12:38:03 -0500, Mark Lloyd
<not.email@all.invalid> wrote:

>On 4/9/24 22:00, micky wrote:
>
>[snip]
>
>> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
>> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
>> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.
>
>I know mine, and have since I was 18.

So all 8 of you know your SSN. So I guess the police aren't wasting
their time when they ask that (from people who don't seem to know where
they live, etc.) Maybe I'd know mine too even if it weren't as easy as
it is.

>> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
>> don't know to discriminate invidiously.

On 4/10/24 10:38, Mark Lloyd wrote:
> On 4/9/24 22:00, micky wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
>> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
>> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
>> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.
>
> I know mine, and have since I was 18.
>
>> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
>> don't know to discriminate invidiously.
>

It was my "serial number" in the military. Never forgot it.

Ralph Mowery wrote:

> I think now you get one when born in the US.

These days most folks seem to get them for their kids as soon as
they're born, but they still have to be applied for.

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:14:05 -0400, Lane
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>Ralph Mowery wrote:
>
>> I think now you get one when born in the US.
>
>These days most folks seem to get them for their kids as soon as
>they're born, but they still have to be applied for.

I thought they found you, but you're right.

"The easiest way to get a Social Security number (SSN) for your newborn
is to apply when you provide information for your baby's birth
certificate in the hospital. If you wait to apply for a number at a
Social Security office, there may be delays while we verify your child's
birth certificate."

You need an SSN to claim your child as
a dependent on your income tax return.
[That should do it.]
Your child may also need a number if
you plan to:
• Open a bank account for the child.
• Buy savings bonds for the child.
• Get medical coverage for the child.
• Apply for government services for
the child.

This is even more important now that several states are weakening child
labor laws. Children shouldn't be a financial burden on their parents.

On 4/10/2024 2:44 PM, T wrote:
> On 4/10/24 10:38, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>> On 4/9/24 22:00, micky wrote:
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>>> I know mine, but I've always thought it's because it's unusually easy to
>>> remember, repeating numbers in a pattern. I assumed if it was anything
>>> more complicated I wouldn't know it, even now after 60 years.
>>
>> I know mine, and have since I was 18.
>>
>>> So I'm asking the normal people here and everyone else too, since I
>>> don't know to discriminate invidiously.
>>
>
>
> It was my "serial number" in the military. Never forgot it.

You'd have a new and longer one now (10 digits) for active duty,
retired, and dependents qualifying for benefits.

On 4/10/2024 1:34 PM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On 2024-04-10, Retirednoguilt <HapilyRetired@fakeaddress.com> wrote:
>>
>> However, these days, even after
>> more than a decade using the same cell phone number, I still make
>> mistakes when asked for it and have never reliably memorized it.
>
> I would be in the same situation, except that the loyalty program at
> my grocery store has me punch in my cell phone number to get my
> coupons. Once a week for a few years did it.
>
>> Just
>> don't ask me for ANY of my web user IDs/passwords.
>
> I have a fair few of those memorized. And, of course, the login
> on my Linux PC.
>
>> Especially for those
>> long nonsense passwords I'm required to change every 90 days.
>
> I'm happy I don't have any of those.
>
>> Our entire modern society has
>> become totally dependent on providing strings of digits.
>
> Soon it'll just be an eyeball scan or something.
>

I refuse to use biometric ID for my cell phone. I'm glad my wife and I
know the master password to boot up each of our cell phones so if
anything happens to one of us, the other can use it. Seems that with
biometric ID, the rest of the world is locked out in all circumstances.

On 4/10/2024 5:14 PM, Lane wrote:
> Ralph Mowery wrote:
>
>> I think now you get one when born in the US.
>
> These days most folks seem to get them for their kids as soon as
> they're born, but they still have to be applied for.

When I asked my parents why they had obtained a SSN for me when I was 2
y.o., I had to giggle. Believe it or not, I was a very photogenic
toddler and actually was a paid model for children's clothing newspaper
ads by one of NYC's finest department stores! The SSN was needed by the
store's payroll department. (I have some of the photos the studio
photographer took and I have to admit, I was adorable!)
>

On 4/11/2024 12:27 PM, Retirednoguilt wrote:

>>
>
> I refuse to use biometric ID for my cell phone. I'm glad my wife and I
> know the master password to boot up each of our cell phones so if
> anything happens to one of us, the other can use it. Seems that with
> biometric ID, the rest of the world is locked out in all circumstances.

Why? Other forms still work but rather than putting in passwords for
apps I just touch the fingerprint.

Biometric is "in addition to" not in place of.

In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:02:56 -0400, Ed P
<esp@snet.xxx> wrote:

>On 4/11/2024 12:27 PM, Retirednoguilt wrote:
>
>>>
>>
>> I refuse to use biometric ID for my cell phone. I'm glad my wife and I
>> know the master password to boot up each of our cell phones so if
>> anything happens to one of us, the other can use it. Seems that with
>> biometric ID, the rest of the world is locked out in all circumstances.
>
>
>Why? Other forms still work but rather than putting in passwords for
>apps I just touch the fingerprint.
>
>Biometric is "in addition to" not in place of.

I don't need any of that becauze I don't lock my phone.

There's nothing important in it, except some phone numbers and my
friends probably get lots of spam already so a little more won't hurt.

When my phone was stolen, in Greece, there were no other consequences.

As to installing Windows, which no one brought up, if the computer is
connected to the internet when one does that, it will insist on a
password, but if it's disconnected, you don't have to set a password. If
a burglar wants to use my computer, he can.

On 4/11/2024 1:02 PM, Ed P wrote:
> On 4/11/2024 12:27 PM, Retirednoguilt wrote:
>
>>>
>>
>> I refuse to use biometric ID for my cell phone. I'm glad my wife and I
>> know the master password to boot up each of our cell phones so if
>> anything happens to one of us, the other can use it. Seems that with
>> biometric ID, the rest of the world is locked out in all circumstances.
>
>
> Why? Other forms still work but rather than putting in passwords for
> apps I just touch the fingerprint.
>
> Biometric is "in addition to" not in place of.

Thanks; good to know. However, as it takes me less than 2 seconds to
tap in the digits of my lock code and hit the OK, I don't understand the
benefit. As far as using a full facial or just a retinal scan, I found
that positioning is very critical and sometimes hard to scan properly
when I needed to use them. Once again, to me the only advantage is when
the need is to restrict access to the one individual with those
biometric features and no "backdoor" is intentionally available for
reasons of high security.

[snip]

> I don't need any of that becauze I don't lock my phone.
>
> There's nothing important in it, except some phone numbers and my
> friends probably get lots of spam already so a little more won't hurt.
>
> When my phone was stolen, in Greece, there were no other consequences.

Does it have your email password?

[snip]

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Every man is free to adopt and profess any religion, which, under the
guidance of reason, he believes to be true." [Rome's "Syllabus of
Condemned Opinions"]

In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:24:46 -0500, Mark Lloyd
<not.email@all.invalid> wrote:

>[snip]
>
>
>> I don't need any of that becauze I don't lock my phone.
>>
>> There's nothing important in it, except some phone numbers and my
>> friends probably get lots of spam already so a little more won't hurt.
>>
>> When my phone was stolen, in Greece, there were no other consequences.
>
>Does it have your email password?

Yes it has it, but I think once I've typed it in it's not visible
anymore. ....It took me a while to find where the password is and it's
asterisked. When I tap the crossed-out eye, it says in red, "To view
your password here, enable screen lock on this device", so since I don't
look my phone, it locks viewing my email passwords. If one locks his
phone, he wouldn't know about how it works for those who don't. K-9
app.

The thief could have read my incoming mail and sent mail in my name, but
I don't care if he reads my mail and I find it unlikely that he'll ssend
mail from my phone. Maybe you can think of a scenario where someone
with my email password could and would hurt me, but I can't.
>
>[snip]

On 4/11/2024 2:22 PM, Retirednoguilt wrote:
> On 4/11/2024 1:02 PM, Ed P wrote:
>> On 4/11/2024 12:27 PM, Retirednoguilt wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I refuse to use biometric ID for my cell phone. I'm glad my wife and I
>>> know the master password to boot up each of our cell phones so if
>>> anything happens to one of us, the other can use it. Seems that with
>>> biometric ID, the rest of the world is locked out in all circumstances.
>>
>>
>> Why? Other forms still work but rather than putting in passwords for
>> apps I just touch the fingerprint.
>>
>> Biometric is "in addition to" not in place of.
>
> Thanks; good to know. However, as it takes me less than 2 seconds to
> tap in the digits of my lock code and hit the OK, I don't understand the
> benefit. As far as using a full facial or just a retinal scan, I found
> that positioning is very critical and sometimes hard to scan properly
> when I needed to use them. Once again, to me the only advantage is when
> the need is to restrict access to the one individual with those
> biometric features and no "backdoor" is intentionally available for
> reasons of high security.

Depends on what you use the phone for. I often use it for banking,
paying credit card and such, so a password is needed to get to that
information. That is different from the 4 digits to get into the phone
so if I want to check my CC I don't have to type the password:
SVC>$HJ#,)PGH Just touch the fingerprint.

On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 12:27:54 -0400, Retirednoguilt
<HapilyRetired@fakeaddress.com> wrote:

>On 4/10/2024 1:34 PM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>> On 2024-04-10, Retirednoguilt <HapilyRetired@fakeaddress.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> However, these days, even after
>>> more than a decade using the same cell phone number, I still make
>>> mistakes when asked for it and have never reliably memorized it.
>>
>> I would be in the same situation, except that the loyalty program at
>> my grocery store has me punch in my cell phone number to get my
>> coupons. Once a week for a few years did it.
>>
>>> Just
>>> don't ask me for ANY of my web user IDs/passwords.
>>
>> I have a fair few of those memorized. And, of course, the login
>> on my Linux PC.
>>
>>> Especially for those
>>> long nonsense passwords I'm required to change every 90 days.
>>
>> I'm happy I don't have any of those.
>>
>>> Our entire modern society has
>>> become totally dependent on providing strings of digits.
>>
>> Soon it'll just be an eyeball scan or something.
>>
>
>I refuse to use biometric ID for my cell phone.

It's not used *instead of* a PIN, it's in addition to a PIN. My wife and I use
multiple fingerprints to unlock our phones. Not to give away any secrets, but my
left and right thumb and index finger will unlock my phone, and my right thumb
and index finger will unlock hers. Vice versa, from her perspective, plus we
know each other's PIN. Every now and then Android requires the PIN, probably as
a security measure.

>I'm glad my wife and I
>know the master password to boot up each of our cell phones so if
>anything happens to one of us, the other can use it. Seems that with
>biometric ID, the rest of the world is locked out in all circumstances.

Absolutely not.

Besides, have you never seen a spy movie? :)

On Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:02:56 -0400, Ed P <esp@snet.xxx> wrote:

>On 4/11/2024 12:27 PM, Retirednoguilt wrote:
>
>>>
>>
>> I refuse to use biometric ID for my cell phone. I'm glad my wife and I
>> know the master password to boot up each of our cell phones so if
>> anything happens to one of us, the other can use it. Seems that with
>> biometric ID, the rest of the world is locked out in all circumstances.
>
>
>Why? Other forms still work but rather than putting in passwords for
>apps I just touch the fingerprint.
>
>Biometric is "in addition to" not in place of.

Oops, I just said the same thing. I should have read ahead.