Reserve America requires SS number?

[mleekamp]

Just spent an hour on reserve america, where I've booked camp sites for several years. It was not a fake site as I could look around at campsites, etc. I went to book and it said I am required to put in an SS number as part of a Federal code to catch deadbeat parents for unpaid child support....THAT IS NOT ME!

Point is, I immediately closed the page. Is this normal? I would never give an SS number to reserve america. What gives?

[Francesca_Knowl]

The most BOGUS part of that so-called "notice" is the way they try to blame the Feds for this nonsense!

"U.S. code" etc...just tryin' to take the heat off Kansas, which has clearly passed its own legislation- probably very loosely based on some provision of Federal Law that allows them to do so.

The language in the U.S. code referred to is specifically limited to LICENSES- hunting, fishing, drivers-whatever.
Here quoting from this link

42 USC 666 wrote:
13(a) Recording of social security numbers in certain family matters.— Procedures requiring that the social security number of—
(A) any applicant for a professional license, driver’s license, occupational license, recreational license, or marriage license be recorded on the application;

I think it's more than a stretch that they're applying it to campground reservations...unless I suppose one has to have a Kansas License just to camp now-?

[mleekamp]

I did try bogus numbers...NO GO. I did a google and found this article (salon.com -- a blog). Guy wants to tent camp and fish in KS and same thing...he was surprised as well. Kind of humorous, but still.......

http://open.salon.com/blog/trig_palin/2012/06/10/on_having_to_give_a_ss_number_to_set_up_a_tent_and_camp

[down_home]

Just tell them 666

[bmet2000]

My SS card says for tax purposes only and not to used for identification.

[restlesswind]

I wonder how many people will decide not to stay in KS due to this stupid rule.

[JRS___B]

Makes me wonder what would happen if you dropped by in person to make the reservation.

With all of the problems with identity theft, including the filing of false income tax returns, this seems to be working in the wrong direction in terms of protecting personal information.

As it is you need a credit card to make a reservation, and the credit card people already know plenty about you.

What would would happen if someone hacked into Reserve America, or Reserve America had just one dishonest employee who had access to this data? Not good.

[mleekamp]

I've been poking around...they only take reservations via Reserve America. I did hit the CONTACT button when I got the warning...and laid down a few points as to why I will never give them my SS number. It wen to the Kansas Dept Wildlife.

I'm dumbfounded. The fact they ASSUME we are all deadbeat parents is insane. To me, its like allowing the police to search my home anytime for anything...if you have nothing to hide, no fear, right? I'll stay at an RV park or in Missouri.

[Luke_Porter]

I've checked other States State Parks and it seems to be a Kansas thing.

[Mickeyfan0805]

Did you call and ask them directly? There is no way I would input my SS# on a site!

[SolidAxleDurang]

mleekamp wrote:
Soon as I clicked BOOK THESE DATES. I've tried it again and same thing. Here is the text it gives me:

Your Social Security Number is required to make this reservation according to Title 42 of the United States Code, Section 666 (a) (13), requirement of statutorily prescribed procedures to improve effectiveness of child support enforcement.

I just tried and it did the same thing to me. Hmm....

[mleekamp]

The more i read, it looks like its a KANSAS thing? Full text below. I guess I can drive a few miles more into Missouri

Your Social Security Number is required to make this reservation according to Title 42 of the United States Code, Section 666 (a) (13), requirement of statutorily prescribed procedures to improve effectiveness of child support enforcement.

Due to the implementation of the new Kansas Outdoor Automated Licensing System, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is now required to comply with certain laws relating to the collection of social security numbers.

Title 42 of the United States Code, Section 666 (a) (13), requirement of statutorily prescribed procedures to improve effectiveness of child support enforcement, requires that social security numbers be collected of any applicant for a recreational license, which includes licenses, permits, stamps, tags or other issues of the KDWP.

In addition, Kansas Statute Annotated 74-139, licensure, certification or registration by state authority; applicants requested to provide social security number, requires the applicant for original licensure or renewal to provide their social security number.

The KOALS system requires your social security number to be entered only one time. Once entered into the system, the applicant will save the information for use in all future transactions. The applicant's social security number is not printed on the confirmation nor is it displayed on the screen when a new reservation is made. The social security number is held in a secure database and will only be available, upon request, to the Department of Social Rehabilitation Services for the purpose of child support enforcement or to the Department of Revenue, Director of Taxation, for compliance with K.S.A. 74-139.

[mleekamp]

Soon as I clicked BOOK THESE DATES. I've tried it again and same thing. Here is the text it gives me:

Your Social Security Number is required to make this reservation according to Title 42 of the United States Code, Section 666 (a) (13), requirement of statutorily prescribed procedures to improve effectiveness of child support enforcement.

[PegLW]

NO! Never! We've been making reservations via Reserve America for years and have never been asked for SS #! Something is fishy (phishy in computer language!)!

[Luke_Porter]

And I tried Clinton Sate Park and it did want a SSN. Might be a Kansas State thing?

[SolidAxleDurang]

You've used them in the past and only now did they ask for this information?

At what point in the process did they ask you to enter your SSN?