<p>Why are schools that my senior hasn’t applied to or sent sores to asking for their ssn?</p>
<p>Good title…</p>
<p>In what context are they asking?</p>
<p>schools are saying…So And So we have our eye on you…student clicks on the email and they have my student’s name…address…email and ask for the ssn…Why?</p>
<p>These are likely scammers sending spam phishing email, not legitimate schools (though they may be faking the From: address in the email to look like legitimate schools). No legitimate school would ask for social security number by email.</p>
<p>Ball state?</p>
<p>Contact Ball State and ask them if this is a legit email from them and if so, why they’re asking such a question that would only cause people to trash their email since it looks like a phishing scam.</p>
<p>Note - don’t ask by responding to the email!</p>
<p>Good title… yes!</p>
<p>They ask because that is how they track the student’s financial aid process and report for taxes at year end.</p>
<p>When a student applies, a school would only NEED it for financial aid reasons, tax reporting, and if a student is employed. A student doesn’t have to supply a SSN if they don’t apply for financial aid, don’t care about receiving a 1098T, and won’t apply for an on-campus job. SSNs can be helpful for matching up student information, especially when items are sent in separately (transcripts, test scores, etc.).</p>
<p>But if these are from schools your student hasn’t applied to or initiated contact with by sending test scores or expressing interest, they have no legitimate reason to be requesting this. And a school with a legitimate reason would not do this via email.</p>
<p>I work at a university and we repeatedly remind students NOT to include their SSN or other sensitive information in emails. We also remind them that we will NEVER ask for their SSN, username, password etc via email. I work in tech support and I’m amazed when students contact us with a technical problem and they provide their information in their email (SSN, ID number, username, password, etc.). Sometimes we will have a discrepancy with an applicant’s SSN and in those cases we will request verification of ID, but it is not conducted via email.</p>
<p>"They ask because that is how they track the student’s financial aid process and report for taxes at year end. "</p>
<p>This is a high school student who has yet to apply to the school. I wouldn’t respond to the email, and call the school only if my child was considering it. Perhaps the school is unaware of these emails?</p>
<p>Again, they ask this to track students. They enter this information into their database for future use, mainly financial aid.</p>
<p>Sounds like some people might need a lesson on how to avoid identity theft. Strengthlikebear, I hope you are joking.</p>
<p>While it is conceivable a college would want an SSN (before applying) to distinguish one John Public from others, other interest inquiries don’t need this- eg, when you visit, when you contact a regional rep. So, we don’t know. But, I’m curious to hear what Ball State says.</p>
<p>It’s the PSAT/CB that often gives colleges info about kids with certain interests or in certain score ranges.</p>
<p>For admissions, most schools now assign an ID number to the applicant and do NOT any longer use SS numbers for that purpose.</p>
<p>I would contact the college…not via email…and tell them about the email you received. It may very well be that they did NOT send this email and will be glad to know about it.</p>
<p>Just want to be cautious about letting student put too much information out there. Thanks!</p>
<p>
I have to believe he is because the fifth number of an SSN is an even number 99% of the time…</p>
<p>My son didn’t put his SSN on any documents and we didn’t apply for FA so it wasn’t necessary.</p>
<p>I’m old enough to remember when colleges posted grades by SSN. Being from New England but going to school outside the area, my # was a low one so everyone could figure out my grade easily…</p>
<p>Speaking of that 5th number. When I was in grad school studying database systems, my professor told me that the even 5th number was a control. BUT I have an odd number. He kept asking me “were you born in a different country? was it issued in a different country? etc” Nope - born in St. Louis, issued in Missouri. </p>
<p>Does anyone know the deal with the even 5th number and why a very small number of us have an odd one?</p>
<p>The reply to this urban legend explains why fewer people have the odd fifth digit:</p>
<p>[snopes.com:</a> Social Security Numbers Assigned by Race?](<a href=“http://www.snopes.com/business/taxes/blackssn.asp]snopes.com:”>Are Social Security Numbers Assigned by Race? | Snopes.com)</p>
<p>^Thanks. That explains a lot. At least I know that my SS # isn’t bogus. Just “unusual.” Like me!</p>