NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/alt/folklore/urban/32180

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-27 | 3.2 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!cobra.dra.com!sean
From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Ethnicity & Soc.Secur.No.
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 27 Dec 92 17:16:48 CST
References: <[e-mail]><[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Organization: Data Research Associates, Inc.
Lines: 50

In article <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]> writes:
>     Let me offer 12-hours worth of phone calls as a refinement to this
> theory. Beside calling everyone in my book, including old girlfriends I haven't
> spoken to in five years (and now I know why) I found the following:
>
>     * Six extremely white, old-money type people had even middle numbers.
>     * Again, NOT ONE PESON had an odd middle numberthat wasn't white.
>       (excuse the double-negative)
>     * EVERY African-American, Jew, Hispanic had an even middle number.
>     * Very few even numbers exist, yest ALL of their owners were white, with
>       the sole exception of a very white ex-girlfriend who had a Grandmum from
>       Cuba from before the Revolution.
>
>     Just judging from the ratio of even:odd numbers v.s. the number of people
> I spoke to, and using my fading knowledge of crap that I pieced together and
> adapted from Merzbacher's book (which is probably all wrong considering how
> much goofing off I did in grad school) I would say something kinda scwewy
> is goin on.

You can call the Social Security Administration, or visit your local government
depository library and read the SSA's "Program Operations Manual."  The
SSA also has a pamphlet called "The Social Security Number" which explains
how the SSN is constructed.  There is also a pamphlet called "Social Security
Numbers Guide" by National Employment Screening Services published by Source
Publications in 1991.

But here are a few quick basics.  The nine-digit Social Security Number is
divided into three basic parts.  The area number (first three digits), a
group number (middle two digits), and a serial number (last four digits).

The area number is a good indication of WHERE the SSN was issued.  Before 1972
it was based on the issuing SSA office, after 1972 it is based on the mailing
address given on the application.  Some exceptions are railroad workers
covered under the Railroad Retirement Act, applications processed at U.S.
embassies, and occassional overflows of numbers in an area due to a lot of
applications (i.e. Vietnamese and other refugees in California between 1975
and 1979 were assigned 568-30 through 568-58, which may explain some of this
urban legend).

The group number is a good indication of WHEN the SSN was issued.  The order
of assignment is odd numbers under 10, even numbers over 9, even numbers
under 9 and finally odd numbers over 10.  Different parts of the country use
up numbers at different rates, so some areas will be running mostly on even
numbers, others mostly on odd numbers.

The serial number isn't an indication of anything.  They are not assigned
sequentially (but usually seem to be).
--
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
Domain: [e-mail], Voice: (Work) [phone]