a scary story
This is not your typical “It was a dark and stormy night…” kind of scary story but one that freaked me out none the less.
Like many scary stories, this one started off fairly innocent. In fact, it started off on a really happy note. Just about 2 months ago I got married and a couple of weeks ago, I headed down to the Social Security Office near my home in order to request a name change on my card; I was adding my sweetie’s last name to mine. I filled out the paper work, brought our copy of our marriage certificate and was told I would receive my card in the mail about 2 weeks later – which I did.
All of that is harmless. And see, it is always right when you are feeling safe and comfortable that the bad things always happen. Check this out…
I opened the envelope, pulled out my brand new SS card with my new name on it, smile and was horrified to find that behind my card was another card – one that did not belong to me, one that belonged to another person! I was totally shocked. I realized that I now had in my possession a person’s full name social security number and address. It took a few minutes for the reality to sink in. I immediately called the SS Administration’s 800 number and was instructed by the agent on the phone, who seemed very unconcerned about the situation, that I could “just mail it to the person.” What?! What?! Isn’t that what they were supposed to do instead of mailing such important personal information to the wrong person?
I really couldn’t believe it. Could you imagine getting your social security card mailed to you by a complete stranger? That would totally freak my out. I would constantly be thankful for the person sending it to me but would also constantly wonder who exactly had my information and what exactly they were doing with it.
I noticed that from the address that this person lived only a few blocks from my house. I hemmed and hawed about what exactly I should do. Returning it to the SS office was my first instinct but that meant that I would actually have to go down there and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait to return it and most likely have the agent behind the window tell me “Oh you could have just mailed it to her.” and I most likely would have replied “Isn’t that supposed to be your job?”…. Yeah not exactly the way I wanted to spend another afternoon.
In the end, I stopped by her house, explained what had happened, asked to see her ID and delivered her card to her. She was grateful to have received it and thankful that I was the one who wound up with it. Can you imagine what might happen if a card was delivered to someone who wasn’t quite so honest.
It’s scary people! Really scary! Don’t we have enough to do and worry about in protecting our information? Scary right? Yeah I thought so too!
That is WAY SCARY! And I can’t believe the Social Security people just said to “mail it to her” … uh, yeah .. NO!!
Yes, thank goodness the card went to you, an honest person!