CarmenOM

pvn

probably 99% of email hacks are done by compromising the accounts at one end or the other. It's just tons easier than setting up a sniffer. Sniffers are basically mythical attacks. But more importantly, anyone with a sniffer isn't going to have any trouble at all finding the other emails between two people once he has one that looks interesting. That's just a completely bizarre claim.

xooz

Call your friend and tell her your number. It is unclear what your concern is.. whether it is your friend having the number, Delta having your number, or some evildoer chancing to intercept your communication of the number. I would just call and tell my friend and let her handle it. I would say it is not 100% clear about why DL needs it, though companies very often get some information about people who get benefits from the company, spouse or not.

moondog

The requirement to provide a full SSN in order to register as a travel companion makes perfect sense.

Anybody who really wanted the OP's SSN could get it within a day via a private investigator (there was an Economist article on this topic about 15 years ago).

RooseveltL

AS many customer/clients would do for sensitive password or PIN details. You send part via email, part via text/SMS and part via verbal conversation = unless a monitoring, MalWare and camera exist at the destination hard to capture all three.. In the end - it really doesn't matter at all how preventative your methods at confidentially if the other person writes down your name, SS#, other information on a piece of paper and doesn't shred the paperwork (plus the next 5 sheets beneath it which may have an imprint) afterwards all your efforts are erased. In the end - if the individual fills out this information online via a public WIFI or uploads via non-secured connection all your efforts are erased. In the end - as Delta sent me a letter on April 11, 2018 of a security breach of their vendor [24]7.ai between Sept 26-OCt 12, 2017 (nice long delay) - so any efforts on your part are erased even if you and your friend both were diligent.

My response is not to discourage you or restrict your efforts, just recognize if you provide the details you should also have a credit freeze among all three credit bureau, and verify you require a pin when filling out your federal tax return. Just hope you are not a victim as you benefit from travel companion benefits.

jetsfan92588

We'll have to agree to disagree, but I think we can both agree that solely sending the info in separate emails isn't an effective security measure when used in isolation.

I think we can also agree that, while one probably shouldn't openly publish their ssn to the world, there are much easier ways for someone to find your ssn than by infiltrating your emails or breaking into an MNC's databases.

MSPeconomist

To me, the bigger concern would be doing nonrev travel as the "guest" of someone when you don't trust each other with social security numbers.

pvn

I don't think that's a valid point at all. The OP isn't just giving the SSN to the employee in a vacuum. That SSN is going into a Delta IT system; the OP might not distrust the employee, but might very well distrust Delta to properly secure their systems.

flyerCO

However the OP was willing to send it directly to DL. They just didn't want to give it to their "friend."

vincentharris

People here really have a "who cares about SSN flying around" type of attitude, which is surprising....

I for one do and do not give it out unless I HAVE to (work, banks, credit cards, loans, etc)

I also setup a business tax id under my SSN years ago for things like eBay/paypal when they mandated you give them your SSN and I in no way trust them.

I equate DL asking for it for a companion pass to doctors offices asking for it. Neither need the SSN to do the job, and they should allow alternatives (drivers license number, passport number, etc.) Most people know not to give their doctors your SSN, why would you give it to a company you have no affiliation with?

LondonElite

Maybe because I'm not American I'm missing some fine point, but is your SSN not on dozens of documents that go out by mail all the time? For example, I recently set up online billing for our place in Florida. The SSN was a required field. I couldn't fill that out and had to find a workaround with the call centre. My does the electricity company need a SSN? I'll bet that if I stole one letter at random from every mailbox on a particular street, I'd have a number of SSNs at my disposal.

flyerCO

ebay/PayPal are subject to financial regulations that require they obtain a SSN. If you're using a TIN for a personal account you can get in trouble with the law. Not saying they're going to catch it, but what ebay/PayPal are asking for is required by law. A TIN isn't a substitute SSN.

Doctors need/want your SSN for two or three reasons. 1)billing, most insurance companies use SSN as a verification that the right insured is being pulled up, 2)in some states it's required for various issues under the law, and 3)it's needed in order to put a mark on your credit report for failing to pay.

I'm curious if DL must report the amount of free travel given to the IRS. For the employee this would be simple to do via their W2. However for anyone else it would require them obtaining a SSN to file a 1099 on.

flyerCO

You generally have to give it out since it's used for credit reporting purposes. Can be to decide if you're worth doing business with (will you pay your bill) and/or to report out failure to pay your bill.

It however isn't generally printed on documents that are mailed. If it is, generally only the last 4 numbers are printed. SSN is one thing needed to open a bank account or get credit/loan. Thus while have to give it out, it's normally treated with some extra security.

jetsfan92588

I don't think that's their attitude, it's just that SSNs aren't nuclear launch codes. You shouldn't give them out when you aren't required to, but you also shouldn't treat them like they are this super secret identifier. I can get someone's SSN with a quick search (and sometimes some filtering) if I have basic information about the person. But it's never taken me more than 30 minutes. And no, I don't work for a government agency and am not a private investigator (but do have access to some of their tools).

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