Social Security number

Kendall -- I hope someone answered your question, or you found out for yourself. I always thought your SS# was the ultimate identification. I never heard of anyone having theirs changed. Now that they issue them at birth, it seems like you'd be able to trace someone for their whole life with that information. Unless they made special provisions in the law for adoptions? It's a federal system, so it would have to be a federal law. If you find out the answer, I hope you'll post it for the rest of us. Another way to facilitate reunion is to file a letter with the adoption agency saying that you'd welcome contact if your bson or his aparents should come looking for you. I hope you and your bson are able to know one another some day. Mary Jane Birthmother in reunion

It depends actually... Adoption is one of the acceptable reasons for chaning the SSN. The adoptive parents may or may not have requested the change...the decision is theirs...but in most cases, where the SSN is issued before the adoption, the lawyers involved will suggest a change. However, if they did change it...they are forever "linked" with the SSA. So, if you were to send a letter thru the SSA using the old SSA, they'd see that a new number was issued and forward it on anyway.

Thanks, Brandy!

Just a word of warning...I was at a workshop recently with adoptive families and adoption professionals and there was a discussion about some people selling their children's SS numbers after their parental rights to these children were terminated (these were abuse/ neglect cases involving foster care). The people buying these numbers were using them to run up thousands of dollars in debt in the name of the child which could affect their ability to receive credit when they are older. I looked for an article on the internet that talked about this practice and I found this- [url]http://www.fbi.gov/congress/congress02/ashley091902.htm[/url] One of our field offices is currently investigating a case whereby Social Security Numbers for children of various ages have been sold to individuals with bad credit for future use in obtaining credit. It is unknown at this time as to how these numbers were obtained. However, individuals who obtained these numbers acted as middlemen. As part of the sale of the Social Security Numbers to the actual users, they formed companies which they used to falsely report positive credit information on these Social Security Numbers to the credit reporting agencies. Such information included loan payoffs and information on other fictitious credit accounts which were paid off. This information boosted the user of the number's credit history and thereby the user's credit score. Next the users applied to legitimate credit issuers, including mortgage companies and were able to obtain credit. The users were instructed they could use their true names with these Social Security Numbers, but not to use any previous addresses or other information similar to their previous credit record that could cause the credit reporting agencies to possibly merge their old and new credit files. Since the victims are children and are not applying for any credit, they are not aware their Social Security Numbers were used in this way. As a result, these victims are not filing any complaints with law enforcement, the credit reporting agencies or any of the defrauded creditors. When these victims later become old enough to attempt to establish credit, they will learn about this activity.