Is it against the law to give away your "identity?"

[monktonman]

I've been thinking about this for some time. Completely giving away my "identity."
Social security number, checking account information, home address, the whole works.
I don't own this info, as far as I'm concerned, it has been forced upon me.
The personal risk is low as I don't own anything of value and don't plan on buying anything in the future. Car, house, business loan etc.

Considering this, I really don't need it.

So the question is: what are the real legal ramifications of giving my "identity" away?
I don't care if some think it's a foolish idea. All I want to know is if I'm breaking the law
by publicly posting this information.

[ret5hd]

1. No...but what if someone does something with the info that you get blamed for?

[Harper_is_Bush]

28. I notice the poster didn't answer you on this.

The question in the OP revealed the naiveness at play here. Of course there's no law about giving away ones identity information, anymore than there's a law against telling everyone where you live, where you work, your birthday, your age, etc.

The poster doesn't seem to even consider the financial vulnerability they'll be under though, which is odd. Maybe he/she thinks when credit companies start demanding payment, they'll accept his explanation and go away nicely.

[monktonman]

39. How could I give away something that doesnt belong to me?

Peoples credit info is stolen every day.
Signatures dont match up, physical whereabouts dont match etc.
After these victims prove that theres no way they could have bought
that stuff, the worst they're left with is, is bad credit.
How could I be held responsible for a crime I didnt commit?
I just gave the stuff away. I didnt tell anyone to commit a crime with it
anymore than I tole you to kill someone with the broken baseball bat I threw in the trash.
what you do with things you find are your business.

[Harper_is_Bush]

45. Go research the consequeces of identity theft to the victims

before you come off so cavalier about something that causes people so much hardship and grief.

It's not a question of you being responsible for the fraud that would ensue in your name, but you ask the question:
"How can I be held responsible for a crime I didn't commit"
In answer I will employ the tool of sarcasm....
yeah, you're right! Nobody is EVER held responsible for crimes they didn't commit!!

And dammit, everyone on death row is guilty so they should just FRY THEM ALL RIGHT NOW!!

meh & pishaw

[monktonman]

46. OK guy I've had enough of being beat up by you

I was just asking a simple fucking question.
Your OPINION in not important to me.
I was asking about THE LAW
Do you know? can you show me?

[Harper_is_Bush]

48. I already told you that.

Go ahead and post naked pictures of yourself on the internet. Nobody cares.

EDIT: and don't come off like you got what you didn't ask for. You said "the personal risk is low". You were wrong in that, and that's why you got "beat up" my boy.

[monktonman]

50. Frickin childish

why do I bother?
I guess I am a glutton for punishment.
If you dont care than dont bother replying
I'm sure you've got better things to do

[Harper_is_Bush]

52. you probably missed my edit in last post, so here it is again:

you said "my personal risk is low". That's why I adressed your personal risk, because of that ignorant and naive self-assessment.

So, you weren't "just asking a simple fucking question."
You did more than that, so stop crying over the response.

[monktonman]

56. Perhaps you could respectfully reply to this....

who else am I putting at risk?
In REALITY, not in the abstract finance world.

I'm asking because I dont know but I dont like having your answer jammed down up my ass.

[Harper_is_Bush]

59. Who else?

Maybe you can define "risk".

All of the companies and banks who will need to sort out the ensuing mess after the avalanche of fraud will incur costs and hardship.

The one who will be victimized the most is you. Your life would be greatly impacted, and that's not just my "opinion".

[monktonman]

61. But, but what about those victims?

I know it would greatly impact me in most miserable ways. Maybe.
Your implying that somehow, this would impact joe schmoe and family.

I'll just guess and say that you probably already know I'm not that concerned about
the companies and the banks.
puh-leeze.

[Harper_is_Bush]

64. didn't imply that at all. And you stated it would be "low risk" to you

which indicates you really don't understand how the financial world works at all.

If you plan on living in a cabin off the grid, then you'll be fine. Just don't plan on coming back to civilization and renting or buying anything.

[monktonman]

66. renting or buying anything?

My credit already sucks.
I never eally had a problem renting a place. I'm sure it happens but I'm not really living in
a penthouse.
I've never bought anything on credit in my life and dont plan to.
Your correct, I dont understand how the financial world works.
It's cruel and bizaar and at best destructive. that much I know.
But isnt the idea of asking question to illuminate?
If I knew, why would I ask.
and still..... no one can give me an answer.
so much for what I dont know.

[lonestarnot]

2. Tee hee. Funny!

:rofl: Go ahead on with your bad self.

[monktonman]

5. like I said, I dont care if you think its foolish.

tee, hee, funny on you.
It was just a question.
by the way, way are you using the banks...er....I mean YOUR identity for?

[lonestarnot]

12. Would you please restate that question?

[monktonman]

14. Is it against the law to give away your name and SS #?

[lonestarnot]

17. Not that question, the other one.

[monktonman]

The other one?

There's only one question.
please explain.

[lonestarnot]

21. by the way, way are you using the banks...er....I mean YOUR identity for?

that one. LOL

[monktonman]

23. Nothing, thats my point.

Its not really MY identity.
Is my SS# who I am? I dont think so.
seems to me these numbers are assigned to me to make money for others.

[lonestarnot]

33. bout like the rest of this thread. See ya.

Peace out.

[Poll_Blind]

3. I don't think so. If anyone misuses that information it's still a crime THEY...

...have committed, not yourself. If you share information like the pin for your bank account, for instance, you could be possibly charged with accessory. Then a D.A. can pretty much make up whatever charges they want.

  Thinking about it more, I almost like the idea. Really shit-up the information tracking systems.

  DO expect to receive more junk mail, but you probably already figured that out.

[pitohui]

6. yeah most people "give away" their info to cheat banks, they go to jail anyway

the overwhelming majority of people who somehow "lose" their information like this lose it to a friend or relative who steals from a bank, credit card co. etc. in collusion with the person in order to split the funds

it won't work, insurers have been onto it for over 15 years, and you will have the choice of paying back the money or prison time and your accessory will have already spent the money so you're in drudgery for the rest of your life as you try to figure out how to repay

whoever gave you this idea is not your friend, they're a con artist

[monktonman]

11. I do my own thinking, thanks.

I'm not talking about running a scam.
thats a crime.
I'm talking about just posting it publicly without making any suggestionas to what to do with it.
Its one thing to "lose" it as you say. Its another to free yourself from its burden.
Please dont confuse me with a criminal. Thats not what I'm trying to do.

[monktonman]

8. I was talking more like SS # and such

You know, all that stuff your warned to gaurd with your life lest
someone buy something with it.

I suppose giving away stuff like pin numbers and stuff could get me in trouble.
ok I'll give you that, but what about the other stuff.
I'm just giving it away, not telling you what to do with it.

The junk mail problem is easy to solve.
I have a PO box. when I check my mail, I take what I want and shove the junk mail back in the hole.
It lands on the mailroom floor and they're none the wiser.

[lonestarnot]

24. Oh sure, LOL mail people can't read the po box #, that's how you got it in the first place.

[monktonman]

26. Junk mail doesnt have a PO box number on it

Laugh out fucking louder!
It lands on the post office floor below HUNDREDS of other po boxes.
Have you ever had a PO box?

[lonestarnot]

29. None of your bees wax what I have and what I don't.

You better look again before you pitch it back into the hole.

[pitohui]

4. it depends on how you give it away

it can be no crime or it can be a felony, depending on how it's done and how you give it away

if you give your identity away so that another can commit a serious crime (murder, terrorism) depending on the state, you are either an accessory to that crime and can get just as long of a sentence, or you are as guilty of that crime as the person you facilitated to commit that crime (in louisiana some of these actually get longer sentences because actual "shooters" cooperate quickly with authorities and turn on their "helpers")

really just a stupid stupid idea if you ever want to have a life or to travel or to, really, stay out of prison

i've known people arrested or detained just for having a name like someone else's, and you're going to turn this over to the world, so that lots of bad people will share ALL this with you and you might never be able to clear yourself of the crimes they commit

if you are suicidal, talk to a doctor, this is just a way to kill your hopes of a future and for no reason

[halobeam]

10. maybe they just want to be an "unknown" in the system?

Nothing to track? Doesn't mean they want anything bad to happen, just want to be left alone already?

Not the first time I've heard of a fantasy to lose yourself and everything attached (esp. since OP said not much is there, I'm just assuming no relationships to stay attached to either)??

Just a few thoughts. Of course your answer was the absolute practical one, which I'm sure was what the poster wanted..(no sarcasm at all implied, sincerely)

[monktonman]

13. Being an "unknown" would be nice.

Thats not the only reason.
I've come to regard this shit as a burden.
Really, considering my lifestyle (not middle class, not low class, no class is about right)
I cant for the life of me understand why I need it.
This is a number assigned to me by a bank is it not?

Please dont treat me like I'm stupid. I understand the implications of having really bad credit.
Whoa is me, I'll never have a future. boo hoo.
Thing is, its not MY credit. I dont own the bank and have absolutely no vested interest in
the credit game.

[halobeam]

79. hey

where was I treating you like you were stupid. I was also responding to another poster, and with very little info given, I just put out some thoughts. If any were wrong, my bad. Certainly am not the type of poster to go at someone, esp. someone who's just asking some questions.

I didn't read the balance of this thread since yesterday.. I hope someone was able to give you some answers to your questions.

[pitohui]

37. if they want to be an unknown, only a stupid person would handle it this way

the way to be a private person is to protect your privacy not to parade your information in front of the world

they would be destroying their freedom of movement for the rest of their lives, probably handicapping their ability to ever have credit without endless hoop jumping or to have a home without endless hoop jumping also

stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid

if you want privacy, seek privacy

putting your business in a public forum is not what privacy seekers do, it's what scammers do, as in, gosh, someone stole my info and emptied my bank account and now you mr. bank must replace the money!!!!

[monktonman]

42. Thats not what I'm doing.

Why does it have to be a scam.
Those are your words not mine.
I also said nothing about privacy, that was another posters idea.

All I'm asking is how these three things are legally bound to me?
SS#, DOB, Name.
thats all. no scam.

[pitohui]

70. if my cat said he wasn't a cat any more he'd still be a cat

you asked a question, i answered it, and it is not my fault you don't like the answer to the question

ask your parents why they gave you a shitty name you don't like, ask god why he had you born on a shitty day you don't like, but nothing you have to say now is going to change it, you just have to work with what you are given

[monktonman]

74. Thats just dumb

Lately, thats what I've come to expect.

[Mz Pip]

7. Why would I want to?

Why would anyone want to be me? The mortage alone should give them pause.

Of what benefit would it be to me for someone else to be me? Unless they could pay off my debts. Fat chance.

I'm sure it's illegal. Whoever took your identity would be masquerading as someone else.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[rucky]

9. Pretty sure that's fraud.

Considering there's a form of fraud that involves using a "straw buyer" with good credit to obtain a mortgage/car loan or other form of credit on a less worthy person's behalf. That would be defrauding the credit card companies and you would be a willing participant by lending your identity.

So, yes.

[monktonman]

I'm not lending my identity.

I'm giving it away.
what the defrauder does with it is their own business.

[rucky]

36. Not sure the courts would see it that way.

But I think you could break new legal ground with this one.

[Hydra]

15. Didn't you get the memo?

If you aren't "with the program" you're fair game.

Mind you, we don't have a legal gov't right now, so anything they say about "against the law" is pure smoke. That doesn't make the guns and the handcuffs less real, though.

[monktonman]

16. OK I'll give you that.

thing is, if I think like that I'd never leave the house.
Enough messing around, this is a serious question.

If I put up a flyer on every telephone pole in my town that says:
My name is so and so, I was born on such and such and my social security number is yadda-yadda.
Did I break the law and how so?

[Hydra]

41. you'll have to ask the resident lawyers

that's just my opinion, because the Military Commissions Act specifically guts the bill of rights.

No Bill of Rights = Constitution(contract with the government) nullified

We have no legal gov't, so we have no laws except as enforced by the gov't thugs.

IMO, get a false identity. "Illegal," but we just covered that :evilgrin:

[tkmorris]

18. I don't see how posting it publicly

I don't see how posting it publicly does anything for you at all. You speak of these things as a "burden". I don't really see that; they are just numbers to identify various things. If you don't care about them then how could they burden you?

Besides, posting them on the internet doesn't change your situation in the slightest. It is STILL your SS#, your bank account number, etc. Nothing has changed except that others now know those numbers as well.

As for the legal ramifications, you could be held responsible if anyone used that information to perpetrate a fraud or other crime if the prosecutor could convince a judge/jury that was your intent. Unless you can come up with better reasons than the ones you've stated I think you'd likely lose that case.

[monktonman]

22. I'm confused as to the reason thing.

How about if I just "felt like it?"
Really, why couldnt I do it just for the hell of it.
Do I really need a reason?

I'm trying to make a point here but I'm having trouble articulating it.
Someone please help?

[cigsandcoffee]

19. You might change your mind.

Time does funny things to people.

[monktonman]

25. I've been thinking about this for twenty years.

It just dawned on me today to find out if it was illegal.
Why do I really need this stuff.
I mean ME not the bank me but ME the real person.

[cigsandcoffee]

31. Lets say you don't change your mind...

...but whoever takes your identity gets a whole bunch of speeding tickets and doesn't pay them - it's not them the police will come looking for with a warrant - you'll have to prove it wasn't you, and that will cost you. Or lets say they take out a bunch of loans and don't pay on them - that can be a prosecutable fraud.

It's frankly a bad idea for a whole bunch of reasons. As a protest, it's not really going to be that effective, and could put you in all kinds of legal peril.

[monktonman]

43. Speeding tickets?

Um ok.
I dont really care about the idea of someone taking out some loans and ruining my non-existent
credit that I refuse to use.
All I want to know is what legally binds ME to those numbers?
Anything???

[cigsandcoffee]

55. A hit and run with a license plate registered to you, then.

If you're not getting how utterly stupid of an idea this is, then you just don't want to.

So go on, then. Knock yourself out.

[monktonman]

57. Read the OP. I know its foolish

I'm just asking a simple question.
Also, how do you get a liscence plat with someones SS#?
I'm asking because I dont know.
Please, if all you want to do is make fun, dont bother.
Go fuck with someone else.

[pitohui]

38. you the real person needs to eat, live, travel, and stay out of jail

giving your name and other identifying info will not help you with any of these goals

indeed, it will seriously injure those goals once the wrong person gets your information

if you hate yourself, see a shrink and find out why

[monktonman]

44. I do all of those things without my "identity"

Am I asking the wrong question or something?
let me repeat: I dont care if you think its a foolish idea.
I dont hate myself. I'm not suicidal. I'm not trying to run a scam.

Mostly I'm just curious as to what law legaly binds me, in the physical world to this abstract "idea" of credit?

Anyone really know or am I just a target for you childish fucking jokes?
(dont answer that last one, I already know.)
Fuckin- A!

[pitohui]

71. we answered your question several times, you just don't like the answer

by now you'd have to be pretty dim not to understand that handing over your identity to the world can leave you open to a host of legal challenges

i'm sorry we didn't kiss your rear end and give you the answer you wanted

we thought it would be more honest to, you know, actually answer the question accurately

if you had it made up in your mind what you wanted us to say, why post the question to begin with?

[monktonman]

76. You missed the question.

I dont care what you think a of me.
I was asking if the act of giving it away was illegal.
I'm well aware of the aftermath.
Perhaps you dont like the question I pose or cant seperate
your opinion of me from the question.

Actually, of all the post's I recieved only one person was good enough
to hold the jokes and have a frank discussion with me.
I've been PMing them for about the last twenty minutes and they have
helped me along nicely.
All you want to do is joke around and hurl insults.
have fun with that.

[sandnsea]

20. How come nobody pays me for it

How come everybody under the sun gets paid for my name, social security number, likes and dislikes, etc. - but I don't.

[monktonman]

27. DING, DING, DING!!!!!!

You get the booby prize.
We all spend so much time ringing our hand worrying about identity theft
when in reality its really not the REAL me.
This so-called identity is for the benefit of everyone else but me.

[Harper_is_Bush]

32. Tell that to the creditors who will be phoning you day and night. n/t

[pitohui]

40. so you will never get old or injured and need to collect social security?

you will be perfectly happy for someone else to take your pension for you

yeah right

if you are really this self destructive you need to talk to someone IRL not on the internet

[monktonman]

47. Yeah nice try.

If you think that in thirty years anyone is going to be getting a Social security check
perhaps you need to talk to someone.
Once again, I'm not asking for opinion.
I'm asking about the law.
DOES ANYONE KNOW????

[pitohui]

72. we know, we answered, do you know how to read EOM,

.

[sandnsea]

58. My "identity" is sold every day

Every single agency that I come in contact with claims the right to sell my "identity". Everybody makes money off of our "identity" except us. I'm not talking about social security. I was pointing out to the OP that his information has already been sold, we're just such dupes that we let it happen and don't even demand payment for it.

[blogslut]

30. Don't know abut the SS# and stuff

But I do know for a fact that giving your driver's license to another person is a felony.

[monktonman]

49. I'm only talking about the three big ones

Name
Date of birth
Social security number.

[RB TexLa]

34. No, you may legally give anyone you wish information about yourself

might be a crime if you sold it to them knowing they were going to commit a crime using it.

There is a guy on television with his information printed on a truck and he hasn't been arrested.

[monktonman]

51. But, but dont you want to insult me instead?

Thanks

[Frank Cannon]

35. I imagine it's sort of like drinking windshield washer fluid

Just because something is fucking stupid to do doesn't make it illegal.

[Harper_is_Bush]

53. lol. Watch out, he didn't want your opinion, just a legal answer. n/t

[monktonman]

60. Funny how this post is soooo interesting to you

If you read the OP you'll see that I know it's a foolish idea.
I'm once again asking about the law.
Just admit the YOU DONT KNOW
OK?
its cool, neither do I. thats why I'm asking.

[Harper_is_Bush]

62. you said "the personal risk is low". That's why it's interesting.

Not really funny at all.

I'll admit I can't say 100% it's against the law (although I'm 95% sure it is not) if you'll admit you were/are grossly ignorant of the consequences of giving your identifying information to others who will use it to make money.

[monktonman]

63. Your making assumptions

I know there would be hell to pay for me. Maybe.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Who said others would use it at all?
who says they would use it to make money?
Yes I know naive but valid questions none the less judge.

I'm trying to come up with a legal reason NOT to give it away.

Besides, prove I gave it away.
I say someone stole it.
Go figure.

[Harper_is_Bush]

65. Oh yeah. And if I leave a $50 bill on a subway car ...

...who says anyone will pick it up?

Come on.

Your comment "prove I gave it away..I say someone stole it" further exposes your lack of experience and understanding. It will be YOU spending half of your remaining life trying to prove you didn't buy all that stuff.

Please, when you do this let us know. I want to follow that story.

[monktonman]

67. Are you friend or foe?

If friendly, please explain this to me the ignorant and unwashed.
Why do banks ask for a signature card when opening a checking account????
Come on man. I'm asking this stuff because I dont know.
Why bother telling me I'm ignorant about this shit.
I know that already.

Also, whats your fixation with me?

[Harper_is_Bush]

68. I'm nothing to you. Niether.

And I have no fixation with you. Odd you would make that accusation.

You've posted half of the comments in this idiotic topic...and you seem wo want to talk a lot about yourself. Maybe the fixation is yours.

I'll leave you alone to your own devices now. I apologize if I pissed on you too much.
My excuse for my involvement was the pure ignorance in the OP, followed up with naive and idealistic statements about your own culpability and the risk of impact upon yourself. Call it the train wreck syndrome I guess.

[monktonman]

69. OK guy sorry for asking a question.

Hard for me not to believe you have this authoritarian thing going.
Yeah go figure, my post, my question and I was actually responsive to the answers.
stupid me.
Anyhow, thanks again for the refreshing commentary.
your the best!

[pitohui]

75. oh wow you are calling harper an authoritarian for trying to help you not fuck up your life?

ok, i could say a lot more about your motives but i'll leave it as an exercise to the reader

at this point, fine, fuck up your life, it is casting pearl before swines to try to point out the legalities any further

we've told you the law and the legal risk, and since you don't like the law, you go boo hoo boo hoo doesn't anybody know a better law in a better world somewhere far over the rainbow and far far away?

if your name and reputation are of no value to you, then they are certainly not of any value to us

make the rest of your life about fixing your terrible mistake while the rest of us eat popcorn and snicker, hell, it's your choice, dude

[monktonman]

77. separate you opinion of me from the question poised.

Naw, that would be too easy.
The fact is YOU DONT KNOW.
Just admit it. I have.

[monktonman]

54. Thats what I was thinking.

Yeah it does sound pretty crazy, I know.
I just dont remember seeing a dis-claimer on my annual social security report
that says its a crime to give this info away.

[Blue-Jay]

73. Can I have it?

"Rusty Shackleford" isn't working for me anymore.

[monktonman]

78. Funny, hee,hee.

I've gotta come up with a cool fake name like that.
I often tell the street corner pot dealer my name is Bill.
He knows I'm full of shit but I dont care.
Now I'm wondering if its a crime to use a false ID on the guy I buy dime bags from?
I wont be able to sleep tonight worrying about it.
anyone know?