Do you have to provide SSN to purchase a car?

[javacontour]

I thought any transaction over $10K, even BEFORE 9/11 had to be documented.

I suppose you could buy for your business and give a TIIN instead of an SSN, if it troubles you that much.

Of course you have to have a biz with a TIIN.

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I thought any transaction over $10K, even BEFORE 9/11 had to be documented.

I suppose you could buy for your business and give a TIIN instead of an SSN, if it troubles you that much.

Of course you have to have a biz with a TIIN.


I know banks are required to report to the IRS transactions over 10k, but I don't know about other businesses. If this requirement is true, many businesses are ignoring it. I have purchased a piano cash (over $10k) and the store didn't ask for my SSN. As I mentioned before, I also purchased a car cash last year and neither the dealer nor DMV required my SSN. You can also buy from a private party and nobody collects your SSN.

When people have their kitchen remodeled, does anyone get their SSN? I never of any contractor doing this.

IF this is a legit requirement, there's a huge loophole in it -- so huge, it makes the requirement useless.

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: hate2work

Finally, last August I paid cash for a low miles, used Tacoma and they made a copy of my DL before I could even test drive it. And when I was paying for it they took my SS # and ran a credit check on me, even though I was paying cash.

Did you pay by personal check or wire transfer? I once paid by personal check and they required my SSN. I understood this was because the check could bounce so I gave it to them.

Quote:

Aside from the obvious "big brother" observations, what really bothers me is there are probably dozens of places that have all of our personal info "on file" and the ramifications of having that leaked/stolen.


This is why I don't want to give my SSN out when buying a car or anything. All it takes is one dishonest employee and you're screwed

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
What happens if you give a fake SS? Does the form you sign say that you are providing it under penalty of perjury or similar? Do they run the SS to see if its you?

If they don't check the SS then what stops terrorists from buying cars under fake identities?

Private individuals aren't collecting the information to begin with, so whats the point?

The only people that this hurts are you and me when the dealer has their data security breached or when the dealer decides to use that information to annoy/harass/market to you afterwards.


When I sold cars it was policy that every car sold, we had to get a photo copy of the Driver License, and the customers Social Security number. Cash or finance deals. Once in a Blue Moon a customer would bark, but if they really wanted the car they gave the information. I never lost a deal because of having to get that information. 911 changed the way the world does business.

 

[CrAlt]

Tax return, employment application, and credit app. Those are the only things that get my real SS#.

Everything else that demands a SS# gets a fake one. If im not financing the car they have no need for my SS#.

They can photocopy my DL all they want.. its about 2 moves out of date and isnt tied to my SS#.. That maybe a issue with this RealID [censored] though

 

[Kindergardener]

In 80s, the Fed passed an anti-money laundering law called Chapter Title 31.The law requires all businesses that deal with cash transaction of $10.000. or more to report the customer's SS#, DOB, physical address, including height,weight, eye and hair colors. The key word here is cash transaction.
When one withdraw or deposit CASH of $10k or more , the bank is required to report to IRS without that person's knowledge.
The same apply to people buying car,boat,etc. or even gambling in casinos w/ cash of $10k or more!
Some car dealers may be trained to get all those private info even the transaction is under $10k cash, just to be on the safe side.
The fine is $25,000. minimum per violation!, the MGM Grand casino in las Vagas was fined over million dollars a few years ago for failing to report hundreds of transactions (players wagers over $10k in cash)due to the person or clerk that did the reports was so behind the work load and chose to ignore a few months reports and got caught.
After the 9/11 incident,the Fed and IRS step up audits and enforcement to work w/ Homeland Security.
Google "Title 31", and see a lot more.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: CrAlt
Tax return, employment application, and credit app. Those are the only things that get my real SS#.

Everything else that demands a SS# gets a fake one. If im not financing the car they have no need for my SS#.

They can photocopy my DL all they want.. its about 2 moves out of date and isnt tied to my SS#.. That maybe a issue with this RealID [censored] though


Getting caught with fake ID or a fake SS # is not a good idea. YMMV

 

[CrAlt]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: CrAlt
Tax return, employment application, and credit app. Those are the only things that get my real SS#.

Everything else that demands a SS# gets a fake one. If im not financing the car they have no need for my SS#.

They can photocopy my DL all they want.. its about 2 moves out of date and isnt tied to my SS#.. That maybe a issue with this RealID [censored] though



Getting caught with fake ID or a fake SS # is not a good idea. YMMV

My DL isnt fake.Its valid and active. And i dont carry a SS card. There is no law that says i have to memorize and recite my SS when asked... at least not yet.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: CrAlt

They can photocopy my DL all they want.. its about 2 moves out of date and isnt tied to my SS#.. That maybe a issue with this RealID [censored] though


You might want to alert the DMV to your change of address. If you lose your license they mail another one to your last known address. Plus you never know when some stupid parking ticket or tow will happen and you won't know about it until renewal time when many more fees and penalties etc are imposed. They'll say, "well we tried reaching you"...

I know this because every twit in line ahead of me at the DMV has some stupid saga of loss and inability to get a new license.

 

[firemachine69]

They only want your SSN because they get a bonus from their finance company every time they roll you through for a credit application.

 

[eljefino]

^ +1

I am sure it's easy for the managment to control the salespeople by claiming "it's a law". Ask for Chapter and Title!!

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: CrAlt
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: CrAlt
Tax return, employment application, and credit app. Those are the only things that get my real SS#.

Everything else that demands a SS# gets a fake one. If im not financing the car they have no need for my SS#.

They can photocopy my DL all they want.. its about 2 moves out of date and isnt tied to my SS#.. That maybe a issue with this RealID [censored] though



Getting caught with fake ID or a fake SS # is not a good idea. YMMV

My DL isnt fake.Its valid and active. And i dont carry a SS card. There is no law that says i have to memorize and recite my SS when asked... at least not yet.


I don't know what it said when I got my SS card back in the day, but for my kids, it says keep it in a safe place, DO NOT carry it with you, and memorize the # (or something to that effect).
me, I've never had to show my card to anyone, just my DL. when I sold cars, we made a photocopy of the DL, but we never ran credit during a test drive (we couldn't; we didn't ask for the SS#). we only ran credit when we started talking numbers, when they fill out an app.

IMO, some people are too paranoid about their SS#, but maybe they have reason to.

 

[MrCritical]

When you work at a dealership where a salesperson has been killed on a testdrive, you'll let them make a copy of your license, your insurance card, with a home phone number, or you don't test drive.

 

[Win]

I don't recall giving my SSN when I bought the G8 in November.

I went back and looked and it's not on any of the paperwork for the car. My SSN was not on the check I wrote to pay for the car.

Unless they got it when I bought my GTO back in '04 and kept it in their customer records, it's not required around here on a cash vehicle purchase.

If they asked for it, I would not have any problem with giving it to them.

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: mpvue


I don't know what it said when I got my SS card back in the day,



I do.

I still have my original and only SSN card that I got in the third grade in about 1968.

The face says "social security account number xxx-xx-xxxx has been established for (name).

signature

for social security and tax purposes-not for identification"

There is a bunch of boilerplate on the back. My card was printed on Form OA-702 Rev (9-61) and it looks like my name was typed in on a Royal typewriter.

 

[crw]

I wonder if you need to provide SSN when renting a small moving van......