Redact SSN?

[MrMonk 0]

Search is not working for me right now...

We are heading to our interview in Moscow Russia soon and I am bringing along my W2s and income taxes as per the consulate instructions. My question is that I am getting a little nervous that I will be handing all my info to who knows who. Can or should I be redacting all or part of my SSN on my taxes or W2? With all the ID theft out there it is starting to make me a little nervous.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Your SSN will already be in their possession from the I-129f paperwork.

[Anh map 2,098]

You've already given them lots of personal info that can be abused. Redacting the first few numbers of your SSN on your tax forms should be ok. Other VJ members have done it in the past.

[MrMonk 0]

Yeah I know they already have a lot...but the more that I give the more nervous I get. I guess I just need to suck it up since it is probably too late if someone wanted to do something bad. Fraud is everywhere.

Thanks for the thoughts.

[Hank_ 9,174]

You are nervous about giving the U.S. government your SSN? The number you initially got from ... the U.S. government!

[Transborderwife 4,666]

You are nervous about giving the U.S. government your SSN? The number you initially got from ... the U.S. government!

Exactly

[baron555 934]

They know more about you than you know about yourself. Chill

[MrMonk 0]

As a government employee that deals with confidential data, HIPPA, USCIS, DHS, VA on a daily basis I can tell you that data security in the US is not very good, I can only imagine how horrible it is in a foreign country. US govt is hardly above corruption/data leaks. So, YES I am concerned anytime I give out all of my confidential data and I only release it when it is needed. People that are not vigilant or concerned about their confidential data are called fools and victims. There is a reason that data is need to know.

So back to my original situation- as long as other members have redacted parts of their SSN and did not have problems then it should be ok.

By the way there are generally much stricter/efficient security measures in place for electronic data like the 129f than there are for paper docs like the copies of my taxes that I will be bringing in.