Can a debt collector request my Social Security number to validate a debt?

[Anonymous]

I RECENTLY SENT A DEBT VALIDATION LETTER TO UNIQUE COLLECTION AGENCY. I GOT A RESPONSE ASKING FOR; MY ACCOUNT NUMBER (WHICH I DO NOT HAVE AND IS NOT LISTED ON MY CREDIT REPORTS) MY LAST FEW ADDRESSES MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND LIBRARIES I BELONG TO I NEED TO KNOW IF I LEGALLY HAVE TO GIVE THEM ANY OF THIS INFORMATION TO VALIDATE A DEBT I DO NOT BELIEVE TO BE MINE/VALID. AND IS THE 30 DAY CLOCK STILL TICKING, EVEN IF I DO NOT RESPOND, OR SHOULD I RESPOND AT ALL TO THEIR REQUESTS? I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING OUT MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TO ANYONE, LET ALONE A COLLECTION AGENCY. YOU WOULD THINK IF MY DEBT WAS ACTUALLY VALID, MY NAME AND ADDRESS WOULD BE ENOUGH. (I ALSO HAVE A VERY VERY UNIQUE NAME) I APPRECIATE YOUR ADVICE.

Message Edited by yemmas on 06-28-2008 08:11 PM

[Anonymous]

You DO NOT have to...and SHOULD NOT...your reports should have a partial account number...give them that...

[Anonymous]

I would not provide social security number or the libraries you have belonged to.

Do you have past addresses showing on your CR? I'd provide only those.

If there is no account number showing on your credit report, I'd simply state "I have never received a bill from your with an account number and there is not one showing on my credit report"

FDCPA doesn't state what information you must provide when DV'ing, only what they must provide you with.

[Anonymous]

And IIRC, NO ONE can force you to give your SSN (other than, of course, government entities ... and even then, they have restrictions on WHEN and HOW they can demand it).
Several "Acts" (such as the HEA, The Debt Collection Improvement Act, etc, had to be enacted in order to allow various government bodies to collect your SSN info legally.

Sooo ... if the Feds need special permission to demand your SSN, what makes that CA think they have a right to it?