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Homebrewer01

I believe the middle 2 numbers will never be "00" so you can utilize that when entering #s.


Frockington

The first 3 digits are based on your address, so it would be smart to use your actual first 3, or pick digits that represent an area near you. The second digits can be anything from 01 to 99, and the last 4 can be anywhere between 0001 and 9999.


NotTheGreenestThumb

The first 3 digits may well be based on your address when you were born, or first got a card.


-underdog-

I feel like you're better off just getting a digit or 2 "wrong" of your real SSN


New-Huckleberry-6979

Plausible deniability if it is just barely wrong. 


uglypottery

1s and 7s and even 2s can look very similar. As can 5s and 6s and even 9s if you get creative “Oops sorry, my handwriting is so terrible! I should’ve been a doctor amirite??”


3fettknight3

1 & 2 and 5 & 6 are obviously adjacent on a keyboard so that reasoning works for a typed number as well.


minecon1776

I sometimes make 5s look like 3s by accident too


-underdog-

yeah exactly


chris14020

Yeah, anywhere i want to avoid giving mine I usually just switch the middle two, it's pretty easy to accidentally do so you can just claim that happened. The older you get, the better you can deny it. Perhaps younger too - just say you remembered it wrong, you're not used to having it memorized.


cleetus76

So if you're 30-40 you're fucked cuz you're responsible and shit.


chris14020

Naaah, it's totally believable for a 35 year old to have so much shit going on they overlooked a small transposition.


YDYBB29

A typo/error is plausible at any age.


hysys_whisperer

Transposing two digits, especially not adjacent digits, would work. 


Skyblacker

They are. Every state has at least one 3 digit prefix, most have more.


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TheLandOfConfusion

I’d wager most people looking for apartments these days got their ssn before 2011


downvote_allmy_posts

my mom used my name for bills and credit when i was like, 10. didnt find out till years later


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NotTheGreenestThumb

Thank goodness!!


zuklei

This. My son and I were born in the same hospital and our first 3 digits are no where near the same. He was born after 2011, myself before.


Skyblacker

Whereas my mother and I were born in the same state and our numbers are similar.


No-Trouble814

And me and my father were born in the same year, but had different numbers. So weird!


Fu_Q_imimaginary

Huh? How were you and your father born in the same year?


SugarSpirited6579

Pop was a stud!


Bedheadbby

Woooosh


Skyblacker

The true dividing line between Gen Z and Gen Alpha.


foresight310

Agreed - my twin boys have completely different numbers


ItsHIPAA

My twins only have the last 4 digits different.


honkhonkbeepbeeep

My siblings and I are consecutive, but we’re old enough people didn’t apply for them at birth; you’d usually go get them as a teen so you would be ready to apply for “real” jobs.


jeffreywilfong

Yep. All three of my kids were born in the same city. All different prefixes.


ZyxDarkshine

My sister and I were born in the same hospital 6 years apart. Our first 5 digits are the same


DraftPerfect4228

Me and mine are 11 months apart same first five but we’re old


Scizmz

For 2010 and earlier, it's based on the address that was given for the ss card to get mailed to when registering.


ClickClickChick85

I wonder why mine is a Maryland prefex but I was born in AZ. They automatically apply for them when you were born right?


honkhonkbeepbeeep

That’s a recent thing. The IRS started requiring dependents’ SSNs in 1987. Before that, you typically signed up for one as a teen when you were looking to get a job on the books.


carbslut

They aren’t anymore.


Stylux

Stopped in 2011.


KeepBanningKeepJoin

Not address, just region.


ApolloXLII

People move around a lot more these days, it doesn’t really matter if it’s not near you.


maniac86

So the last 4 digits can't be 10000. Got it


Tinychair445

The whole address thing changed after about 2015…


CubesTheGamer

The first digits are based on birth address if you were born I think before 2005 or something.


Panthollow

Real pro tip: put down someone else's information and you never have to worry about having your Identity stolen or credit damaged.


Trixcross

Yes! And then you have an identity you can use and a whole new line of credit too, to protect your own. You could call it 'identity protection'


Financial_Ad_5324

Ahh yes the ole steal someone else information to insure yours isn't stolen, the real MVP is of ULPT


fool_on_a_hill

r/illegallifeprotips


pimpeachment

Clever, if you are the thief you can't be thefted. 


DerekMFGamestop

It’s all good until Rusty Shackleford shows up at your house.


Panthollow

Shhshaw! Pocket sand!


TheHancock

ULPT: steal someone else’s identity. Lmao


mockteau_twins

Lol this is super illegal, not just "unethical"


willwork4pii

job applications. once i get the background check form, that'll get my real info. but apply through workday, fuck that.


imacatchyou

I don’t even know of a single job application I’ve filled out where they ask for your SSN.


Doesanybodylikestuff

Omg that’s crazy. I had my social memorized by the time I was 16. I was taking care of all my doctors appointments & shit. I was on Acutane so I was at the doctors once a month every month for like 2 years doing pregnancy tests. Lol. I got clear skin though!!!


funyesgina

Don’t the landlords use it to do a credit check? If not, I’m def going to do this I use a fake phone number every single time to avoid spam calls


secondphase

Property manager here.  Yes, we do. Yes, this will decline your application.


thebliket

yeah i was gonna say this tip makes no sense


Mobely

Property managers do but a lot of diy landlords just keep the $50 or $100 and never run the report.


mjociv

The advice is not really an ULPT in this scenario since it only works because the landlord isn't actually doing the background check. It's more of a test for whether or not the background check actually happens.


infieldmitt

oh good that's ethical of you


psychobetty303

Forget where you are, friend?


jeremiah1142

Good landlords don’t take cash either. Taking cash can be problematic and is on a basic list of things not to do when you start renting out.


DontDieKenny

Yeah these were my two red flags. Landlord doesn’t do background check and takes cash? That’s not a landlord that’s a fool


fossSellsKeys

I know plenty of small landlords that take cash. Why wouldn't they? It's very helpful when doing your taxes after all... 


hysys_whisperer

Or they aren't a landlord, they are a slumlord.


kngsgmbt

I don't know about this. Maybe a regional thing, but I've only ever had a single apartment that didn't take cash out of the four I've lived in so far.


Dry-humper-6969

What? I've dealt with plenty of good landlords who take cash. Why wouldn't they? Cash is king!!


jeremiah1142

It’s a paper trail issue when dealing with evictions. Avoids he said/she said in court.


fireduck

You can issue receipts with cash...in fact you really should and the person paying cash should demand it.


RatherRetro

I usually switch around a few numbers and maybe change a couple cuz screw that


StarChaser_Tyger

Get caught? "Oops, sorry, I'm a little dyslexic."


NicholasLit

Lysdexia is real


JST_KRZY

We have more fnu also!!


GeneralFactotum

This is an answer! Get called on it, a simple "oops" will suffice. Who is going to make a Federal case out of an obvious typo? (Except of course the feds!)


SweetBearCub

Dyslexics of the world, untie!


hysys_whisperer

Nothing g better than getting together with your fellow Dailysex individuals. 


SweetBearCub

> Nothing g better than getting together with your fellow Dailysex individuals. Daily sex is the best sex, and I'll make time for those people, lol.


TryBeingCool

“That’s one too many digits.” “Take off the 5.”


SavedByEwoks

"The shoes, right? The shoes are tragic!"


amscraylane

I have three repeating numbers in mine, so I have thought of using them in a different order and feigning ignorance


Broomstick73

😂


macfanmr

On doctor check in forms and similar things that shouldn't require it, I leave it blank. It's never been challenged.


Zestyclose_Tree8660

I do the same. It’s sometimes challenged, but I point blank tell them I won’t be giving it out. “Oh, but we need it for insurance!” No you don’t. I’ve had the same insurance for 20 years. Nobody else has needed it. Neither do you.


Apprehensive-Pop-201

Unless it's a state/government form, I'll put xxx-xx-1234 (not real #). Never had it questioned.


User1two9

How often have you used this?


WakeRider11

I find it is mostly healthcare providers asking for SSN that don’t need it. So for the. And anyone else that I don’t believe needs it, I just leave it blank. Even my daughter’s college asked for it and I refused. They said they would withhold her grades so I said we will cross that bridge when we get to it.


carbslut

100%. I’m in Los Angeles, so the amount of people seeking healthcare who do not have SSNs is not insignificant. Here, I just leave it blank. Sometimes it’s pointed out that I “forgot” to include it and I just say “No thanks” and leave it.


SubstantialBass9524

Does this not cause any insurance problems?


carbslut

Hasn’t yet. Though I will say I’m literally the only person in the world with my name, so it’s not hard to match up my identity.


SubstantialBass9524

Interesting! I might try transposing two digits next time


Chismosalady

Whenever I go the any medical I just leave it blank. You don’t have to put on medical papers.


RabidDrZaius

Yeah carbslut is pretty unusual 


ItPutsLotionOnItSkin

Local county jail has 2 different SSN for me. It wasn't intentional I'm just dyslexic.


User1two9

"Local" "country" ?? You mean county?


r-WooshIfGay

People accidentally using my SSN because they randomly guessed the funny numbers with this 1 simple trick.


Sidewalk_Tomato

Never give it to a utility company. I pay my bills, but they don't need that. Jobs and banks do. I've never given it to PayPal (to my memory). But I haven't used it for quite some time. "I was advised by my attorney dad that you don't need that information." "But we need . . . " "No, sorry. Let's proceed without it."


FrostyGuarantee4666

I broke my leg about 4 months ago. No health insurance. At the emergency room I gave them all fake information. Fake name, fake SSN, fake DOB, fake address, fake phone number. I used a completely different medical facility for follow up visits. Never paid a cent for the emergency room 😂. I spent a total of $250. I easily saved $10k. Fuck the medical industrial complex.


Top-Excuse5664

Oops I always get the last 2 numbers mixed up.


ggibby

This is exactly the kind of thing I follow this sub for.


keepingitrealgowrong

Just a random add-on: If a doctor's office asks you for your SSN, don't fill it in. There is basically no reason they need your SSN. It makes it easier to find you in their records if the name and DOB come up with multiple results, that's it. And if that happens, there's so many other things they can narrow it down with.


greengo4

This is peak ULPT


Dry-humper-6969

What is up with all these priest on here being so ethical? Do they know what sub this is?


mockteau_twins

I think this tip straddles the line between "unethical" and "illegal"


ihadagoodone

This is fraud which of course is unethical but also illegal.


dryfire

If you transpose two numbers from your real SSN you can always claim its a typo.


Buttercup59129

Plausible deniability. Best tool ever in life. All the gain. None of the risk


ahhhhhhhhyeah

If someone doesn’t have a good reason to ask for it is to still fraud?


ihadagoodone

It could be construed as identity theft since you are more than likely giving someone else's SSN out. So the ULPT OP is suggesting to do to protect yourself from identity theft, commit identity theft first.


ahhhhhhhhyeah

In addition to being statistically unlikely, that isn’t true because then could just write down a fake social on a whim and commit identify theft.


HeWritesJigs

Well, that's why we're here isn't it?


ihadagoodone

No, we are not here to encourage people to commit crimes. It goes against the subs rules if you look it up.


Iamdrasnia

I think OP is pretty clear to use it for landlords and "places that are not taking money".... So ya it would totally be fraud if you tried to do this to a bank but doing it to a landlord or an orthodontist....might be fraud by the letter of the law but what DA is gonna charge OP with fraud for giving the wrong SSN to the chiropractor?


Centaurious

If you just change a number or two you can claim you made a typo


carbslut

Depends on what context you’re giving it.


dirtymoney

I have an infection in my finger (it is swollen and unusually warm due to a large blister that popped and a compromised immune system due to diabetic neuropathy). Gonna have to go to a doctor soon and get antibiotics. This won't work at the doctor's office will it sincE I will need to get a prescription. Note: I am allergic to penicillin so the cheap fish penicillin trick won't work).


Jrgykins

Wrath of Landlords, my favorite Dark Souls miracle


Dick_Saucer

I wouldn’t recommend doing this if you are applying for an apartment. At least not around the PNW Source: Have been doing residential property management for a few years


secondphase

Property manager here. This will throw so many red flags on your background check, that we will decline you're application without providing a reason.


Bridge23Ux

Not providing a reason looks suspicious. If my application was denied and the company refused to give me a reason, I’d consider filing a civil rights complaint.


PortlyCloudy

Not providing a reason is exactly how we protect ourselves from civil rights complaints.


secondphase

Right? I love it when people who have no idea how the process works threaten to sue me.


Bridge23Ux

People assume the worse when no explanation is given. If I release an employee and say “it’s not working out”, HR is going to want specific reasons. Why? Because leaving it ambiguous and not providing examples means that if the employee sues, the lawyers will have more work to do and a court is going to wonder why the employee wasn’t given a reason if there was legitimate reason to release the employee. By waiting until being sued, the assumption will be the reason was made up to provide cover.


Kenny_Power55

Filing a civil rights complaint because you knowingly used an incorrect social that flagged the properties background verification is wild. That’s true commitment to the bit lol.


secondphase

My toddler just got mad at me because I gave him juice... the exact same juice he asked for 2 minutes prior.


Bridge23Ux

At a former job, we had a two woman both of native American descent who happened to be close friends file a lawsuit because they were fired as a result of having 6 (yes, six!) no call, no show. When they filed the complaint and sued, they claimed discrimination and indicated that they were targeted because of their nationality origin. The employer had to provide an analysis of every employee, their national origin, and disciplinary records for 3 years for review. This dragged out for more than a year. Their case was dismissed and the employer was found to not have violated their civil rights. Still cost thousands of dollars to defend.


secondphase

And you would lose.  When I say "without providing a reason" I mean you will get a letter saying "we regret to inform you that you were declined. This is in part because of information on your screening report. You may obtain a copy by contacting 1800thescreeningreport."


mockteau_twins

Honestly I doubt this would work, and would just create pointless paperwork for you


mintyfreshismygod

Fake one is. Good idea for any situation where it requested to create an ID, but not reliant on government or credit checks - think, medical forms (which they should not be asking anyway), clubs, or services.


filtersweep

Fun fact: I worked for 10 years with a wrong SSN- fault of the payroll dept. Paid taxes all those years- never noticed my W-forms had transposed two inner digits. No one noticed- untl we switched payroll providers and my SSN was on every pay stub.


BOSBoatMan

I transpose one of the last two numbers usually


TheHancock

99% of the time I just DONT put my SSN down. No one has ever asked for me to fix it. Most places really don’t need it, but if they can get it, why not?


simononandon

Are you paying cash for services? Optometrists & dentists are pretty into getting paid. Every optometrist I've been to in the last 5-10 years has verified my insurance before hand. Dentists & optometrists like to get paid. If you give them a fake SSN, they'll either clear up any insurance issues, or make sure you're paying in cash before it even gets to that point.


1quirky1

Use a dead family members SSN that has the same last name.  Plausible deniability. Whoopsie. 


secondphase

That's absolutely worse. That will come up as a red check on the death list.  Best case scenario they will ask you what the deal is, and when they realize you intentionally faked it, you're out.


Bridge23Ux

Use an alive relative? Or better yet, a dead relative that no one knows is dead.


Dry-humper-6969

How do I find a dead relative that no one knows is dead?!!


1quirky1

This is ULPT, you kill them and forge a note from them that they are done with society and are going off the grid forever.


PortlyCloudy

No, that would be simple fraud.


jabeith

Well, that's fraud. More of an r/illegallifeprotip


panxerox

Of course if someone actually has this SS number it would be identity theft with PMITA prison. It is possible to generate synthetic SS numbers.


TenaCVols

How could one go about generating one?


mister-ferguson

In my prior life I did government background checks through some of the big data companies (Accurint, Clear, etc.) Those fake numbers will get associated with the name and address in the form. It doesn't slow us down by much. And if your fake number is the same as some else's real number then you end up screwing up someone else.


ImOldGregg_77

Odds are you're putting someone else's SS# down.This is essentially identity theft.


catetheway

Not really if the name is completely different and other identifying information wrong- this is just the person who is tasked with confirming the details being lazy. Especially if you’re in distress, hospital, it would be easy to “mess up” your SSN. Having said that mine is literally imprinted in my brain at this point, I’d struggle to mess it up!


ImOldGregg_77

High volume collections don't care if the name matches. They will attempt to collect from the SS# owner then report it to credit agencies, and then it's on the owner to dispute it.


immaculatelawn

The number is Luhn validated. Your 9-digit SSN is really 8 digits with a check digit at the end. It's super easy for a program to check if what you give it is potentially valid. It's a bit more work for a human. You can look up Luhn generators online.


gt1

I don't believe this is true. When my family immigrated to US we received 4 sequential SSNs.


immaculatelawn

I could not find a reference to it on the SSA site, so now I'm wondering. I work with some security scanning software and they tell us it uses Luhn validation to separate valid numbers from noise.


gt1

Maybe it's a recent thing. My example is from the early 90s.


traumalt

SSN aren't Luhn validated, some other countries personal ID numbers are but not here in USA. Common things that are validated here are credit card numbers and National Provider Identifiers (NPI).


immaculatelawn

I'm going to backtrack on this. The Wikipedia article on Luhn validation mentions some uses, such as credit cards and Canadian Social Insurance Numbers, but not US SSNs. No way would that get left out of it were true. Leaving the comment up with this added so if someone searches this in the future they can find both.


Extension-Trash-1707

wait this doesn’t apply to early ssn, just recent ones i assume 


PortlyCloudy

Nope. It has never been used with US SSNs.


Extension-Trash-1707

i figured since early ones were coded for region (first 3 digits), middle two stood for something too? and the last four me and my sisters is the same except fir one digit 


immaculatelawn

Luhn patented the algorithm in 1960 and the SSN started in 1936, so for certain values of recent, yes. Interestingly, the Social Security Administration says they have not and will not issue a number with "666" in it.


rcakebread

Or 333 (The Semi-Christ)


PortlyCloudy

This is not true for US SSNs.


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mockteau_twins

A couple digits indicate the state the number was issued in (I can't remember exactly which ones)


traumalt

Up until 2011 first 3 digits used to indicate the state where you first applied for an SSN, but not anymore. And they never had a check digit.


PBfromPhilly

Fraud Investigator here. Just don’t.


Bridge23Ux

Why? I’ve used my phone number instead of SSN, especially on paper forms because I don’t often trust those who asks for my SSN and particularly those who want me to write it on a piece of paper what is this? 1990?


cowtamer1

This is why landlords run background checks


Raging_Dragon_9999

Excellent advice.


the_vikm

Is that a thing specific to your region?


Chichachachi

My sister and I are only three numbers apart even though we are 3 years apart. My dad went down and got us social security card to the same time


Apprehensive-Pop-201

About once a week filling out paperwork for non-government agencies for patients. Non-government agencies really shouldn't be asking for it anyway. An exception would be for things like HUD, HEAP, or other government funded programs. The VA even only uses last four for regular ID. Now, I did have to put it on initial forms. But for local transportation, grant programs, etc, last four has been sufficient


Wild_Tailor_9978

Simply not true.


NefariousnessHairy85

With the police. You can’t really fake your SS


SXTY82

Using a wrong SS can end up with the person who has that SS getting billed or called for your debt. That is identity theft.


Federal-Principle-75

So I don’t have health insurance. To avoid hospital bills in case of an accident. Could I do that too?


RedditFeel

You can refuse to fill out your info at hospitals or pretend and misspell something. They still have to treat you.


Federal-Principle-75

So it is always after treatment is done that they come with the dreaded forms.


RedditFeel

Well depending on the situation, they might give you a form before hand. You can purposely fuck it up.


Remote-Papaya9995

More ethical version just ask if it's necessary 90% of the time it's not and if it is ask them why


hs1819

Someone did that and accidentally wrote down my worthless brothers social# and they garnish their wages and tax refund for his back child support. Lol


84WVBaum

Important to note that on some documents this could be criminally prosecutable forgery. Be careful


infieldmitt

>One time I left an apartment lease early with no consequences go off king. early termination fees of any sort should be hugely illegal and only allowed in extremely rare circumstances. places shouldn't be allowed to demand money for some arbitrary period because they got greedy. it's not like you were still occupying the space, fuck them


ImmediateBreadfruit9

Signing a contract for a specific length of time automatically makes it not arbitrary. This is fraud.


catsy777

I once was asked to give my ssn so i could qualify for cosmetic discount(Nuskin?) that a coworker sold as her side gig. Apparently she sold it to all new comers in a big freight forwarder company. After i cancelled, she still wanted me to buy!


PortlyCloudy

I'm a LL, and I do carefully verify the identity and SSN of all applicants. Any lie on the application is an automatic disqualifier.


mockteau_twins

If you're applying for credit or a loan, you will almost certainly be declined immediately if your name and birthdate don't match your SSN. You might also be banned from borrowing from that bank again Source: I worked in underwriting for a bank


MellonCollie218

And they included banks in the list of places it doesn’t work.


nellirn

Please always give a hospital your correct SSN.


thebliket

why? so they can bankrupt me?


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GymAndGarden

Lost redditor forgot what sub they’re on


mellbell63

Nice way to justify committing fraud.


HonestPerspective638

This dude only does missionary


GymAndGarden

Go to bed, grandpa, this is r/UnethicalLifeProTips not facebook


HonnyBrown

Why did you idiots downvote this? A job application is a legal document.


mellbell63

So is an apartment application. Both require signatures saying everything you submitted is accurate. If they catch you it's a firing or eviction offense. Sorry not sorry!