Social Insecurity

One of the most egregious examples of mediocrity I know of has to do with your Social Security number. Like me, I bet you have your number memorized because the first thing you're taught when you're a little kid is not to carry your Social Security number in your wallet. Well, I have bad news. The odds are that your Social Security number is in your wallet right now! Take your wallet out and see. If you have health insurance ”which I hope you do ”your Social Security number is probably printed on your health insurance card. It is, isn't it? And you didn't know it. Do you imagine for a second that insurance companies are unaware that this outmoded identification protocol, which dates back nearly 70 years , is a security risk to millions of customers? Cheap toothpicks come in many forms!

Figure 7.3: Blue Cross card (with cheap toothpick)