Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. press release, September 5, 2000

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 205 1 5 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Jill Homan September 5, 2000 202/225-3061 Congressman Ehrlich Lauds Treasury Department Concession to Protect Recipient Social Security Numbers WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. welcomed the U.S. Treasury Department’s decision to finally ensure Social Security numbers will no longer be visible through the windows of benefit checks mailed to more than 14 million Americans. This common-sense decision came at Congressional urging by the introduction of H.R. 3218, the Social Security Confidentiality Act, of which Congressman Ehrlich is an original co-sponsor. The bipartisan legislation would prohibit Social Security numbers’ visibility through the window of unopened Social Security checks printed by the Department of Treasury — a practice which places benefit recipients at risk of identity theft by scam artists. In 1 999 alone, the Treasury Department stopped the issuance of more than one million Social Security checks, valued at $620 million, that were stolen by ineligible persons who had assumed another person’s identity through his/her Social Security number. Congressman Ehrlich stated, “I am pleased that the Treasury Department has come to our side in support of protecting Americans’ privacy. Benefit recipients, who were at real risk of exploitation, can now have peace of mind knowing their Social Security numbers will be confidential.” Effective for September payments, the Treasury Department will use check numbers rather than Social Security numbers to identify and retrieve payments. e ###