Making it easy?
I call the Social Security office and ask about obtaining a replacement social security card. On the website, it says you need proof of identity and proof of citizenship. My question was whether an expired passport and a birth certificate could be used to fulfill these requirements. She says, "no, we don't accept birth certificates as proof. All we need is a letter from a physician stating name, date of birth and that the person applying is a patient. Then we will be able to issue a replacement card." WHAT?!?
Since it's a replacement card, the ONLY proof that the person applying for this card is legitimately entitled to do so, is predicated on the word of a physician, any physician. Is something not wrong with this?
My mind is immediately going to this question: Why would the Social Security Office make it this easy to obtain a replacement card? The government in general makes nothing this easy. In fact, this almost seems like a made-for-TV identity theft how-to operation.
Imagine this:
Can I not - now that I know this - create stationary with a fictional doctor's name, write a letter stating that the name and birth date of anyone for whom I want a social security card is a patient, fill out and send in the SS-5 form, and wait for the card.
NO OTHER ID is required for me to do this!
Something smells very funny here.
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