Credit Check for New Cellular Service?

With the increasing frequency of Identity Theft, I am extremely hesitant to
give my Soc Security Nbr to cell phone providers or any of the online
vendors (e.g., Amazon). Surely, there must be a way you can get service w/o
exposing your Soc Security Nbr (to enable them to do the "mandatory" credit
check).

California has a law prohibiting cell phone providers from requiring SSN's
for cell phone service. Wouldn't it be nice if this was a nationwide law?

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› See More: Credit Check for New Cellular Service?

"Joseph" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 22:46:59 -0600, "mitchs" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>With the increasing frequency of Identity Theft, I am extremely hesitant
>>to
>>give my Soc Security Nbr to cell phone providers or any of the online
>>vendors (e.g., Amazon). Surely, there must be a way you can get service
>>w/o
>>exposing your Soc Security Nbr (to enable them to do the "mandatory"
>>credit
>>check).
>>
>>California has a law prohibiting cell phone providers from requiring SSN's
>>for cell phone service. Wouldn't it be nice if this was a nationwide law?
>
> I'm not sure how California can do that if that's the case. Any time
> you are extended credit the orgainization extending credit to you is
> entitled to get your SSN to check your credit history. And why
> shouldn't they do a credit check? Do you really think they want to
> issue credit to any old person have them run up a bunch of charges and
> then just skip town. How would you have them protect themselves? A
> credit score is required to get service pretty much everywhere in the
> world.


Cell phone service seems to be a "must have" status symbol among the gangsta
class, most of whom have ****ty or non-existent credit ratings. Thus, the
massive theft of phones and prepaid PINS. It makes it difficult for "real"
people to get contracts or even buy prepaid PINS.

GP

Joseph wrote:
> I'm not sure how California can do that if that's the case. Any time
> you are extended credit the orgainization extending credit to you is
> entitled to get your SSN to check your credit history. And why
> shouldn't they do a credit check? Do you really think they want to
> issue credit to any old person have them run up a bunch of charges and
> then just skip town. How would you have them protect themselves? A
> credit score is required to get service pretty much everywhere in the
> world.

They don't NEED the SSN to run a credit check. It makes it easier for
the credit bureaus, but with enough other info (name, address, etc),
they can do it. This has been explained often in the Action Line columns
in CA newspapers, and in other local press.

But the SSN returns a more accurate credit report. No you don't have to
give them your SSN but then they don't have to sell you phone service. I
work in the real estate leasing field. If you don't provide us with a
SSN for a credit check, we won't lease to you.

CharlesH wrote:

> Joseph wrote:
>
>> I'm not sure how California can do that if that's the case. Any time
>> you are extended credit the orgainization extending credit to you is
>> entitled to get your SSN to check your credit history. And why
>> shouldn't they do a credit check? Do you really think they want to
>> issue credit to any old person have them run up a bunch of charges and
>> then just skip town. How would you have them protect themselves? A
>> credit score is required to get service pretty much everywhere in the
>> world.
>
>
> They don't NEED the SSN to run a credit check. It makes it easier for
> the credit bureaus, but with enough other info (name, address, etc),
> they can do it. This has been explained often in the Action Line columns
> in CA newspapers, and in other local press.

Godzilla Pimp wrote:

> Cell phone service seems to be a "must have" status symbol among the gangsta
> class, most of whom have ****ty or non-existent credit ratings. Thus, the
> massive theft of phones and prepaid PINS. It makes it difficult for "real"
> people to get contracts or even buy prepaid PINS.

You must be kidding.

Cell companies run credit checks because of the threat of some punk stealing a
phone?

I call "Bull****."


--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
--New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"

Originally Posted by mitchs

With the increasing frequency of Identity Theft, I am extremely hesitant to
give my Soc Security Nbr to cell phone providers or any of the online
vendors (e.g., Amazon). Surely, there must be a way you can get service w/o
exposing your Soc Security Nbr (to enable them to do the "mandatory" credit
check).

California has a law prohibiting cell phone providers from requiring SSN's
for cell phone service. Wouldn't it be nice if this was a nationwide law?

You don't have to give your social security number if you don't want to. If you choose not to, then Cingular is absolutely going to require a deposit of at least $150.00

I had an instance of a elderly women who didn't want to give her ssn for fear of identity theft. After attempting to run her credit, we could not locate her without her ssn. Cingular then had to require her to fax a copy of her drivers license to keep on record. The result of her credit check was (no hits), and she was required to put down $150.00 deposit. It was her right not to give it, but had she given it, she more than likely wouldn't have had to put down any deposit.