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Probe ongoing in sale of SS numbers issued on Saipan
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Posted on Mar 13 2009
Investigation on the sale of thousands of Social Security account cards issued on Saipan to illegal immigrants in Chicago continues, according to Bridgette M. Camacho, district manager of the Social Security Administration on Saipan.
Nineteen persons were indicted on Feb. 24 in Chicago in connection with the selling to Chinese nationals of SS account cards issued on Saipan between 2003 and 2008.
Approximately 16,666 Illinois driver’s licenses and identification cards were issued to individuals using social security numbers with a “586” prefix, which is assigned to Saipan, Guam, American Samoa and the Philippines. But a 156-page criminal complaint said “a large portion” of these cards were issued by the SSA on Saipan.
Camacho said because of the ongoing probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, SSA cannot comment on the issue, based on guidance from the SSA regional office after consulting with the Chicago Regional Office, the Chicago Office of Inspector General, and the National Press Office.
However, as public service, Camacho said the public should never pay for a service that SSA will do for free, including the application for a Social Security number, according to Camacho.
There are websites run by private companies not affiliated with SSA that advertise they could complete an application for a Social Security card, and charge a fee.
SSA does not charge a fee for either an original or a replacement Social Security card.
