Transferring under $600 a year without an SSN is entirely legal. That's money considered too small to be worth taxing. One place an American can usually quite

Transferring under $600 a year without an SSN is entirely legal. That's money considered too small to be worth taxing. One place an American can usually quite easily check this is at your local gambling area. They are locked by the same rules. If you win big at the horse races, you don't get to take your money until you fill out tax paperwork. This is no different, except that OP is international, and didn't know our rules as a result.