Q: Can a police officer ask for my social security number? The reason is that the system shows an overlap insurance.
He said i could be arrested because it’s considered a misdemeanor so i had to provide him with my social security number after he had my license and everything he needed.
A:
No, a police officer typically cannot and should not ask for your social security number in a situation like this.
A few key points:
- There is no requirement for citizens to provide their SSN to a police officer who has already verified their identity through other means like a driver's license.
- An insurance coverage overlap alone would generally not be reasonable grounds for arrest or requiring someone's SSN. It may warrant a ticket at most.
- There are very limited situations where a police officer may request a SSN, such as during the booking process for an arrest on other legitimate grounds. But an insurance database issue would not qualify.
- Providing your SSN could expose you to potential identity theft if misused or improperly accessed. You should be careful about sharing it.
Unless the officer had grounds to lawfully arrest you and bring you in to custody for booking, demanding your SSN was likely out of policy. You can politely clarify why it is needed and decline providing it if there is no legitimate basis. If threatened with arrest without cause, contacting a supervisor may be appropriate.
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