Any organization that isn’t your employer, the IRS or your bank probably doesn’t need to know your social security number. However, sometimes other organizations will ask for it. They may need it or they might not, and you should ask questions before agreeing to give it to them. These questions, as recommended by the Federal Trade Commission, include:
- Why are you asking for my SSN?
- How are you going to keep this information safe?
- Is there a different identifier you can use?
- Can I give you only the last four digits of my SSN?
