Paul Eggert writes,

> ... one seller insisted she would not complete the sale to me
> unless I had the full bank account setup [with PayPal].

What a jerk!  I think that anyone who has had an occurrence remotely
like this should advise eBay of this, and figure a very brief way to
note it in feedback about this idiot.

Did she also want your Social Security Number?  I am constantly amazed
at how many people here in the U.S. throw their SSN around like their
phone number, perhaps more!  My comments relate to the U.S., as I don't
know how such things work in other countries.

We recently moved to Virginia, where we found that it was normal to use
the SSN as one's driver's license number.  We opted _not_ to do this,
and they assigned another kind of number.  Massachusetts did that for
years; I believe both have switched to the opposite system, where one
may use SSN if one insists.  I don't understand why one would.  Many
people put their SSN on their checks.

They're crazy!  Have they never heard of "Theft of Identity"?  When
people ask me for my SSN, I ask them "Why?"  If it's not something to
do with taxes, Social Security or a credit check, I remind them that it
is illegal for them even to ask.  Most people don't realize this, but
it is true.  I am beginning to reach the point of writing down who and
where and when, and report it to the state's and U.S. Attorney General.
There is a huge amount of fraud going on, and that's the only way they
find out.

I have simply refused to do business with people who insist that I give
my SSN where they don't have the legal right to do so.  I exercise my
right to tell them to take a flying leap.

Lee Munsick
Appomattox County, Virginia USA