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The Story of the Most Misused Social Security Number of All Time

ssa.gov — The most misused SSN of all time was (078-05-1120) and belonged to one Mrs. Hilda Schrader Whitcher. Interesting story on how this came to be.

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  • johndi, on 10/11/2007, -9/+25This had me laughing pretty hard. It's not often a government site can do that.

    Mrs. Whitcher recalled coming back from lunch one day to find her fellow workers teasing her about her new-found fame. They were singing the refrain from a popular song of the day: "Here comes the million-dollar baby from the five and ten cent store."

    Although the snafu gave her a measure of fame, it was mostly a nuisance. The FBI even showed up at her door to ask her about the widespread use of her number. In later years she observed: "They started using the number. They thought it was their own. I can't understand how people can be so stupid. I can't understand that."
    • bsolidgold, on 10/11/2007, -14/+3Easily amused?
    • TheAkolyte, on 10/11/2007, -0/+31I'm wondering, were people using the built in social security number to be an *****, or did people actually believe this is how they were supposed to be issued a social security number
    • YourTechSupport, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6heheh... 'snafu'.
  • PiSan314, on 10/11/2007, -3/+31"In 1938, wallet manufacturer the E. H. Ferree company in Lockport, New York decided to promote its product by showing how a Social Security card would fit into its wallets.... Even though the card was only half the size of a real card"

    And the picture shows cards of the same size. Yup, I'm definitely reading a government site.
    • mankyd, on 10/11/2007, -1/+36Haha, indeed. Not to mention the first sentence:

      "In 1938, wallet manufacturer the E. H. Ferree company in Lockport, New York decided to promote its product by showing how a Social Security card would fit into its wallets."

      You can't exactly use a half-sized card for that purpose.
    • RMoore08, on 10/11/2007, -6/+5Haha I didn't notice that til I read your comment.... yep.. there goes the good ol' United States again....
    • djdole, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3WTF.
      Exactly how is it the fault of the US government if a private company decides to use a card that is about half the size of the actual, as an example of where to place the card in the wallet?
      ...or for that matter, how is it the government's fault, if the VIEWING ANGLE and DISTANCE are different for the two cards in the picture (of the lady) taken by the press (rather than being a picture of the cards, shown directly side by side to illustrate the size differences)?

      Silly Diggtards. ^_^
    • BeyondGoodNEvil, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1That's big govt for ya, no sufficient consequence motivating them to be precise. $Trillions of our tax dollars provide a comfy environment to make stupid mistakes like that.
  • fober, on 10/11/2007, -2/+48I'm starting to think buying all that stuff on the internet with the VISAA card that came with my wallet was a bad idea.
    • tehpwnrate, on 10/11/2007, -2/+32On a related note, I have to confess that I bought a few things on Amazon using a credit card they accidentally sent to my house. My name definitely isn't Your Here... and what kind of middle name is Name?
    • ChronicColonic, on 10/11/2007, -0/+28...and all this time I thought my name was Genuine Cowhide.
  • MikeonTV, on 10/11/2007, -11/+5Reverse Identity Theft
  • odst117, on 10/11/2007, -5/+33"One embarrassing episode was the fault of the Social Security Board itself. In 1940 the Board published a pamphlet explaining the new program and showing a facsimile of a card on the cover. The card in the illustration used a made-up number of 219-09-9999. Sure enough, in 1962 a woman presented herself to the Provo, Utah Social Security office complaining that her new employer was refusing to accept her old Social Security number--219-09-9999. When it was explained that this could not possibly be her number, she whipped out her copy of the 1940 pamphlet to prove that yes indeed it was her number!"

    Sometimes i doubt that people this stupid are even the same species as I am.
  • MCMLXXXII, on 10/11/2007, -10/+2It would be stupid to underestimate the stupidity of people.
  • StrikerObi, on 10/11/2007, -8/+4Man people are stupid...
    • YourTechSupport, on 10/11/2007, -6/+2Congratulations. You're on your way to a dawning realization about human kind.
      Let me know how that works out.
    • snurfle, on 10/11/2007, -6/+5... and it's not just the "man people"... sometimes the women people are stupid, too!
  • uptown, on 10/11/2007, -4/+10History seems so innocent compared to today....
  • CobaltBlue, on 10/11/2007, -0/+43Does that mean that the family in the pictures that came with my wallet isn't my family? I have a lot of explaining to do.
    • jtmOBX, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1This is why these people I dont remember never send me Christmas cards...
  • JohnnyXmas, on 10/11/2007, -10/+2You know what I want to know? Who the hell gets all the money that employers dumped into that account (pending it wasn't drained)? I bet his middle initial is W.
  • JohnnyXmas, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1@theakolyte:

    A little from column A, a little from column B, but you already knew that. It makes us feel a little bit better when we ask the question, because it makes us hope that there's a respectable answer to it.
  • dingostick, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4This is one of a number of so-called 'pocketbook SSNs' that are both amusing and handy. If you need to fill out a form that requires your SSN and you're like me in that you don't want to give out your SSN unless you absolutely have to, memorize a pocketbook SSN instead and use that.

    The downside, though, is that some identity verification companies (including the one I work for) know of most of the pocketbook socials and will inform their clients the input social is a pocketbook. (Viz., if you apply for credit through a company that uses us for identify verification, they'll know you gave them a pocketbook SSN.)

    Nonetheless, it's still worth a shot.
  • snurfle, on 10/11/2007, -15/+4Remember way back when DIGG was a good source of news?
    And when the news stories were NOT just copies of Snopes articles?
    • TheAkolyte, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9I remember when people didn't bitch so much.
    • optigon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Wow... You must be old. j/k
    • Dweller99, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3And we wore onions on our belt? (That was the style at the time)

      Ahh... good times.
  • ukthom, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2I've heard this before...it's along the same lines of

    "This bag may contain nuts" on a bag of peanuts.

    Why must we be that Blazin' Stupid?
    • mikeon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Don't forget the warning label on the back that says the product was manufactured in a factory that also deals with nuts.
    • smartyhall, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Instructions for the use of a toothpick... The world has gone crazy and must be put in an asylum!
  • bigal90, on 10/11/2007, -10/+1very interesting story it is indeed very stupid people would believe thats there social security number
    • BrokenWind, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10Not nearly as stupid as someone that can't formulate a coherent sentence.
  • heyitsgarrett, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11That boss is a dick.
    • silverchrysalis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11938...
      probably worm fodder now
  • diggydougie, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6It wasn't a big deal back then because the social security card could only be used for social security purposes. People using that number back only cheated themselves out of the benefits because all the withholding went to the original holder. Now it has become a de-facto ID card. We should go back to the old days where one number doesn't define an individual.
  • Jerim, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7FTA: In later years she observed: "They started using the number. They thought it was their own. I can't understand how people can be so stupid. I can't understand that."

    Apparently she doesn't know too many people.
    • MikeTheC, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Having worked in retail most of my (thus far) life, and having worked in a call center for five years, I'd love to say something like this surprises me, but sadly it doesn't.
    • irvinsithole, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR
      STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA
      MR. IRVIN SITHOLE
      Email : Irvin.sithole@yahoo.com.

      ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO,

      CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL/DEAL

      Good day! I'm MR. IRVIN SITHOLE, THE AUDITOR OF THESTANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA. I got your contactinformation courtesy of Johannesburg Chamber ofCommerce and Industry. During the lastauditing,verification /investigation in out bank atthe end of last fiscal (financial) year, I discoveredthe sum of US$8, 400.000.00 (EIGHT MILLION FOURHUNDRED THOUSANDS UNITED STATES DOLLARS) in a dormantaccount belonging to a foreign Internationalbusinessman who died along with his family in a KenyanAirways plane crash in Cameroun this year . Myinvestigations revealed no survival for claims as Ihave long been expecting someone to forwardapplications for claims as it applies to our bankingregulations and if I do not remit this money outurgently, it will be recovered by the bank. However, I kept this information (SECRET) confidentialwithin my jurisdiction to enable me submit claims andtransfer this fund through trustworthy person whom Ishall present as the bona fide next of kin to thedeceased. With my position , I can initiate thetransfer this fund to any reliable designated foreignaccount, with assurance that this fund will be intactpending my physical arrival in your country forsharing. All documents to this transfer will bedestroyed on confirmation of the money in your accountthus leaving no trace to anything. Meanwhile, alldomestic arrangements have been put in place awaitingyour response to enable me conclude this transaction. At the conclusion of this transaction, you will begiven 30% of the total money, while 70 % will be forme, and you must understand that, this is a once inlife time opportunity and a deal of high magnitude,therefore your undivided assistance MUST be needed,and you will offer any assistance when needed, becauseI won't present myself in all task to avoid suspicion,hence our government is out to track most of us inFinancial Sectors down. Rather, I will present you as the next of kin, youmust be bold, and confidence in putting the claim inaccordance to my instruction Kindly contact me viathe above e -mail address. I need your strongassurance and confidentiality. God bless us. Best regards. MR. IRVIN SITHOLE NB: send the below information as quickly aspossible: (1) Your private telephone and fax numbers. (2) First three pages of your internationalpassport. (3) Your physical address. (4) Your bank account information.
  • voyetra8, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8Thanks for posting the SSN. I'm applying for a loan with it right now!

    • MrKeeboard, on 06/08/2008, -0/+1Ah shoot. And I was going to try. Let me know when you're done.
  • Shandooga, on 10/11/2007, -7/+1Such stupidity. They must have been catholic.
    • silverchrysalis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2what the hell was that about?
      stupid people who make random sweeping generalizations- what are they?
  • WaltDismal, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2But I've gotten $15,000 in tax refunds claimed under that number!
  • iChaz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1and I always wondered why my grandpa's 'name' was hilda...
  • JonAtkins57, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I work for a large financial institution... our most misused SSN is 000-00-0000. Seriously... illegal immigrants write this down and somehow loans are still given!
  • irvinsithole, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR
    STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA
    MR. IRVIN SITHOLE
    Email : Irvin.sithole@yahoo.com.

    ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO,

    CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL/DEAL

    Good day! I'm MR. IRVIN SITHOLE, THE AUDITOR OF THESTANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA. I got your contactinformation courtesy of Johannesburg Chamber ofCommerce and Industry. During the lastauditing,verification /investigation in out bank atthe end of last fiscal (financial) year, I discoveredthe sum of US$8, 400.000.00 (EIGHT MILLION FOURHUNDRED THOUSANDS UNITED STATES DOLLARS) in a dormantaccount belonging to a foreign Internationalbusinessman who died along with his family in a KenyanAirways plane crash in Cameroun this year . Myinvestigations revealed no survival for claims as Ihave long been expecting someone to forwardapplications for claims as it applies to our bankingregulations and if I do not remit this money outurgently, it will be recovered by the bank. However, I kept this information (SECRET) confidentialwithin my jurisdiction to enable me submit claims andtransfer this fund through trustworthy person whom Ishall present as the bona fide next of kin to thedeceased. With my position , I can initiate thetransfer this fund to any reliable designated foreignaccount, with assurance that this fund will be intactpending my physical arrival in your country forsharing. All documents to this transfer will bedestroyed on confirmation of the money in your accountthus leaving no trace to anything. Meanwhile, alldomestic arrangements have been put in place awaitingyour response to enable me conclude this transaction. At the conclusion of this transaction, you will begiven 30% of the total money, while 70 % will be forme, and you must understand that, this is a once inlife time opportunity and a deal of high magnitude,therefore your undivided assistance MUST be needed,and you will offer any assistance when needed, becauseI won't present myself in all task to avoid suspicion,hence our government is out to track most of us inFinancial Sectors down. Rather, I will present you as the next of kin, youmust be bold, and confidence in putting the claim inaccordance to my instruction Kindly contact me viathe above e -mail address. I need your strongassurance and confidentiality. God bless us. Best regards. MR. IRVIN SITHOLE NB: send the below information as quickly aspossible: (1) Your private telephone and fax numbers. (2) First three pages of your internationalpassport. (3) Your physical address. (4) Your bank account information.
  • irvinsithole, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR
    STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA
    MR. IRVIN SITHOLE
    Email : Irvin.sithole@yahoo.com.

    ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO,

    CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL/DEAL

    Good day! I'm MR. IRVIN SITHOLE, THE AUDITOR OF THESTANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA. I got your contactinformation courtesy of Johannesburg Chamber ofCommerce and Industry. During the lastauditing,verification /investigation in out bank atthe end of last fiscal (financial) year, I discoveredthe sum of US$8, 400.000.00 (EIGHT MILLION FOURHUNDRED THOUSANDS UNITED STATES DOLLARS) in a dormantaccount belonging to a foreign Internationalbusinessman who died along with his family in a KenyanAirways plane crash in Cameroun this year . Myinvestigations revealed no survival for claims as Ihave long been expecting someone to forwardapplications for claims as it applies to our bankingregulations and if I do not remit this money outurgently, it will be recovered by the bank. However, I kept this information (SECRET) confidentialwithin my jurisdiction to enable me submit claims andtransfer this fund through trustworthy person whom Ishall present as the bona fide next of kin to thedeceased. With my position , I can initiate thetransfer this fund to any reliable designated foreignaccount, with assurance that this fund will be intactpending my physical arrival in your country forsharing. All documents to this transfer will bedestroyed on confirmation of the money in your accountthus leaving no trace to anything. Meanwhile, alldomestic arrangements have been put in place awaitingyour response to enable me conclude this transaction. At the conclusion of this transaction, you will begiven 30% of the total money, while 70 % will be forme, and you must understand that, this is a once inlife time opportunity and a deal of high magnitude,therefore your undivided assistance MUST be needed,and you will offer any assistance when needed, becauseI won't present myself in all task to avoid suspicion,hence our government is out to track most of us inFinancial Sectors down. Rather, I will present you as the next of kin, youmust be bold, and confidence in putting the claim inaccordance to my instruction Kindly contact me viathe above e -mail address. I need your strongassurance and confidentiality. God bless us. Best regards. MR. IRVIN SITHOLE NB: send the below information as quickly aspossible: (1) Your private telephone and fax numbers. (2) First three pages of your internationalpassport. (3) Your physical address. (4) Your bank account information.
    • MrKeeboard, on 06/08/2008, -0/+130%? Come on you must be ablr to do at least 55%
  •  

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