I have been told by the experts never to give your social security number to anyone other than your banker or employer. Prove your identity by other means, if at all possible. Identify theft with stolen social security numbers is rampant in this country. I remember, years ago, having my number on my bank checks or even my driver license. I used to give it out at the supermarket to any teeny bop cashier who asked. That is over. All of us have been told not to carry your social security card in your wallet. If you lose your wallet it is out there for the crooks to use and sell to other crooks. Identity theft is hard to correct. Sometimes it takes years. Now I find out that if you have a Medicare card your social security number is right on the card and you are supposed to keep it in your wallet. The Dallas Morning News pointed out that during President Clinton’s speech while discussing Medicare the camera had a close up of a woman’s Medicard card on national television with her social security card prominent on the screen. When asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it would cost as much as $845 million to remove the numbers. Here is the kicker, it has been six years since the CMS told Congress about the options of removing the social security number from the card and yet nothing has been done. Let’s get this straight. Billions of dollars are stolen using social security numbers annually and the government has known about it for six years and are still are trying to find a solution? Seniors are the most vulnerable members of our society and now, after six years, we can’t solve this simple problem? Maybe it is time for AARP to step in and get something done. In the meantime, don’t put your Medicare card in your wallet. The government doesn’t seem to care about protection of our identity from predators just waiting for us to make a mistake. This makes no sense.Protect Your Social Security Number