One thing I learned years ago was to never share my Social Security number and date of birth with anyone on the internet or my cell phone, especially strangers.
That was hammered home for me recently when a Kids & Money reader sought help from me regarding the status of her federal student loans and whether she’d qualify for President Joe Biden’s loan cancellation program.
The kicker: She gave me her date of birth and Social Security number, apparently thinking the personal information would help expedite her request and put her at ease.
I was stunned. Not just because I would be the wrong person to ask for help resolving a borrower’s personal problem, but that the reader shared such key personal information with me in an email.
If I had been an identity thief, it would have been like handing over the keys to the vault, no questions asked.
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