Q. I hear a lot of talk about protecting my Social Security number from identity thieves, but last week I signed up for cable Internet service and they wanted my Social Security number to establish an account. Is there anything that can be done about that?

A. There certainly are occasions when a Social Security number (SSN) needs to be provided, but over time, far too many businesses and other organizations have become accustomed to using the Social Security number as a universal identification number, and that's not its purpose, nor do you have to provide it simply because it's requested.

The Privacy Act of 1974 requires all government agencies that request Social Security numbers to provide a disclosure statement. The statement clarifies if you are required to provide your Social Security number or if it is optional. It also explains how your SSN will be used, and under what statutory or other authority the number is requested.

There is no law that prevents any business from requesting your Social Security number, and there are few restrictions regarding what businesses can do with it. Eek! The wrinkle here is even though you are not required to disclose your SSN, a business can refuse to provide service if you fail to release it, so it’s a bit of a conundrum.

Most businesses ask for a Social Security number as a matter of routine and, in the case of cable TV service, they generally want the last four digits of your Social Security number "for identification purposes," when you call for service. When any business requests my Social Security number, rather than raise a ruckus -- which is one level more intense than a fuss -- I politely explain that unless they can provide the appropriate disclosure statement mandated under the Privacy Act of 1974, the most I'm willing to provide is the last four digits of the number. I've never run into a situation where this wasn't acceptable.

I then provide the same four-digit number that I've been using for years for this purpose. It's actually the last four digits of a telephone number I had eons ago that has nothing to do with my Social Security number. Once I provide the four digits, the business is happy, and I'm happy. Since I always use the same four digits, if I need to call for service and I'm asked for the last four digits of my Social Security number, I'm delighted to provide them with the same self-assigned ID numbers. It works like a charm.

Mr. Modem's Sites of the Week:

The Golden Age of Iron Men
No, this isn’t “The Mr. Modem Story,” but thanks for the thought. Eugen Sandow was a strongman, an author, a businessman, and a fitness pioneer who practically invented 20th Century bodybuilding. he Online Physical Culture Museum lets you take a look back at Mr. Sandow and other people who sparked the evolution of modern fitness.
http://tinyurl.com/ozs38

Not by Bread Alone
From prohibition to processing, cookbooks to corpulence, this site explores influences on gastronomical America over the past 200 years via rare books, photographs and menus. Recipes from 1847 explain how to revive tainted meat (a party favorite!), and Boston Cooking School textbooks apply scientific principles to the American home and early kitchen gadgetry such as the ice box, apple peelers and seeders.
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/food

For plain-English answers to your questions by email, plus useful PC tips, subscribe to Mr. Modem’s Weekly Newsletter. For information, visit www.MrModem.com.