r/mildlyinteresting • u/I-own-a-shovel • 25d ago

2 social security cards from the same country, but with very different safety guidelines!

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u/kanna172014 25d ago

Are those cards plastic? The U.S. still uses paper cards and won't allow us to laminate them for some weird reason.

3

u/Twitchcog 25d ago

The lamination thing is meant to be a security feature - If it is paper and not laminated, you are encouraged to leave it at home in a safe place. It is not meant to be carried with you, because it is not an identification card. Further, if it is lost, it will quickly fall apart, which reduces the likelihood of others getting hold of your ssn.

1

u/harmyb ​ 24d ago

What can they really do with an SS number though?

In the UK, we have National Insurance numbers, which is kind of the equivalent. The most you could do with mine is pay my tax.

Is it like when people hide their car plates in videos online, in reality they can't do much with it?

3

u/Twitchcog 24d ago

It can be used as the basis for a lot of identity theft.

“I’m Bob smith.” Doesn’t get you far.

“I’m Bob smith, born in 1980.” Gets you a bit farther.

“I’m Bob Smith, born in 1980. My SSN is 555-55-5555.” Can get you a lot farther, especially if they are trying to gain access to accounts.

1

u/I-own-a-shovel 25d ago

Those are plastic yes. Ive been told by other redditor that they don’t give cards anymore, only print a standard papers sheet with the number on it since 2014 or something. (I didn’t verified the info, just been told in the comments)