> SSN especially is treated like it's super-secret even though practically everybody asks you for it - banks, employers, car dealers, credit cards, lenders, etc

> SSN especially is treated like it's super-secret even though practically everybody asks you for it - banks, employers, car dealers, credit cards, lenders, etc. Ironically, the IRS doesn't. I know of someone who had to authenticate himself to the IRS (I think when getting a new social security card) and was prepared to give them his SSN, when the agent scolded him, 'Your SSN isn't a means of identification'. If only they knew! > Government loves to ask DOB for some reason like it's a big secret - even though looking for congrats of anybody's facebook page allows to know DOB for like 90% of people. DOB is public record (by one means or another) for almost any US resident.