buying a gun
When filling out the form to buy a Gun yesterday there was an "optional " social security number section- After thinking about I used my number for the first time, and off they went to call in the form on the insta-check system. The system never allows an automated system to complete my transaction and they dealer is always put on live with an operator ( about 30 times this has happened) I am told this must be cause my name is close to someone else. ( I have never been arrested and consider myself an upstanding citizen) Now with the social number there is no way they do not know who is buying a gun- My problem is am I on a list? ( the same list the government is restricted from keeping? Has others come across this same thing? I am very concern that big brother is not only watching but is keeping score. Joe
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The government monitors and keeps records of things, even if people refuse to belive they do. The law apparently only applies to those who get caught doing something illegal.
Who polices the police? The populus of America surely doesn't.
Rest assured that EVERY gun you have EVER bought after filling out that 4473, HAS a papertrail. Rest assured also, that they KNOW.
They don't have to have a person with a notepad to keep track, thanks to modern technology.0 -
I don't doubt this either. I bought two guns in the past week. I used to not put my SSN on the 4473, but with these latest two I figured what's the difference? They know who I am regardless.
The bottom line is that these guns are both in my possession. They know where to find them if they want. MOLON LABE.0 -
The BATF has your number, if not, they can get it.
They know everything about you, down to what color socks you wore last Friday.
The way I feel about the SSN.
Since the BATF already has that information, or can get it, they don't matter......
BUT, does the FFL you are dealing with have it? He/she does NOW. ALONG WITH anyone working in the shop, either full or part time, for as long as they are required to keep that paperwork. How many employees could that be? How many years? NOT saying there is any, but the potential for abuse is certainly there. Granted, some deal ONLY with KNOWN friends, and FFLs, but others don't.
Then you have to consider the person on the other end of the phone when the call is put in. They are just people too, another avenue for potential abuse? Of course, the government ONLY hires "perfect" help.
Call me paranoid, but in my case, no thanks, I'll leave that number off the forums, thank you very much.0 -
Pickenup, I understand your concern, and I'm not saying it is unfounded. However, anyone looking for a fresh crop of SSNs merely needs to go to the local college. Every college I went to uses the SSN as the primary identification. I can't tell you how many times I handed a form with my SSN on it to a pimply faced teenager that was making minimum wage.
Again, I'm not dismissing your concern... but I just get tired of fighting to hide THEIR number from THEM. THEY gave it to me after all. I suppose I have been fortunate regarding ID theft so far. Every case of fraudulent activity I have found on my credit cards or credit report (perhaps 3 cases in the past 10 years) I have been able to successfully remove by contacting the appropriate financial institution.0 -
Due to sharing my name and birthdate with a felon, my ssn# is used more than I care for .
It was interesting when the IRS was hunting him for tax evasion and showed up at my place of employment.
That being said ,I have to put my ssn# down in order to get quick approval.
I also only use 1 dealer for purchases.
Hard to know who to trust .0 -
You have my sympathy- work with a young man that is 3rd generation American- but has a very common Arabic name- every airline in the country has him on the "no fly" list- and his work requires him to fly quite a bit. Talk to your FFL, there is a process to be assigned a unique identifier number for folks that have had identity similarity issues. As far as compromising my SSN, and ruining my credit rating- well, have wife that has already done that [:p] I try not to worry about folks that I owe (they can worry for both of us) I worry about people that owe ME ! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 11b6r
You have my sympathy- work with a young man that is 3rd generation American- but has a very common Arabic name- every airline in the country has him on the "no fly" list- and his work requires him to fly quite a bit. Talk to your FFL, there is a process to be assigned a unique identifier number for folks that have had identity similarity issues. As far as compromising my SSN, and ruining my credit rating- well, have wife that has already done that [:p] I try not to worry about folks that I owe (they can worry for both of us) I worry about people that owe ME !
I did not know that could be done with an FFL .
I finally managed to get the IRS to flag my name in the system .0 -
About two weeks ago I bought an Russian M44 at a local pawn shop. About three months ago I bought a Moss. 500 shotgun. The people at the pawn shop do not consider the SSN to be an optional item. If you don't put yours on the form, they won't sell you a gun. It stinks, but if you want to buy from them, you have to play their game. 0 -
Report them to the ATF and see what happens... probably nothing.
Like they say, "it was never meant to be for identification."
Yet somehow it is.0 -
quote:Originally posted by jbowles824
The people at the pawn shop do not consider the SSN to be an optional item. If you don't put yours on the form, they won't sell you a gun. It stinks, but if you want to buy from them, you have to play their game.
Personally, I would walk out without gun. A few years ago I was in a Dicks Sporting goods trying to buy a gun on sale-the fellow insisted that I put my SS number on the form. I said no, it is optional and I opt not to. Got the manager, they insisted I put it on, I again said no, and that I will not buy the gun if they require a SS#. They sold the gun to me WITHOUT SS#.
I had another jackass in a gun store ask for my drivers license when I wanted to purchase black powder- I asked why, he said because it was the law-I said since when, he said since 911. I said I was not aware of such a law, he finally fessed up that it wasnt the law, but he likes to have it because the ATF is a pain in the ass. I said I appreciate that they are a pain in the ass, but I did not want to give him my drivers license. He asked me "what do I have to hide?"- I said I would give him my drivers license if he gave me his- he refused, I walked out.0 -
Like everyone else is saying, whether you put your social security number or not a paper trail has been created. The benefit to putting your SSN on the form is that the backgroung check can be completed quicker. Also it severely limited the chance of having a negative background check due to someone having the same name as you. If you trust the store where you are buying from then your number should be safe. If you don't trust the store you shouldn't be buying from them in the first place. 0
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