united-states privacy
Is it legal for Comcast to (apparently) require my SSN to obtain service?
<p>I went to sign up for a new Comcast account online.  They asked me for some basic billing info, but <em>also</em> asked for my DOB and SSN, which I'd rather not give to them out of concern about identity theft.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/STReo.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/STReo.png" alt="Comcast signup info - billing"></a></p>

<p>The claim is that they need it to run a credit check (ok, fair enough):</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/mvihU.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/mvihU.png" alt="Comcast signup info - SSN"></a></p>

<p>But then wait!  There is an alternative - I can pay a $50 deposit instead.  Or so I thought:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/Vmvcl.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/Vmvcl.png" alt="Comcast signup info - deposit"></a></p>

<p>They <em>still</em> ask for my SSN!  I thought that perhaps it was now an optional field, but as you can see from the validation message:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/aOn9k.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/aOn9k.png" alt="Comcast signup info - form validation"></a></p>

<p>So, it would seem that they are not giving me a choice here.  Is this legal?  Are they allowed to <em>require</em> my SSN just to set up service?</p>

<p>Comcast, and many other utility companies, will ask you for your SSN and will insist on it giving you many times with <a href="http://consumerist.com/2008/09/22/comcast-the-patriot-act-mandates-we-need-your-ssn/" rel="noreferrer">false</a> answers. 
I recommend you ask them if they have an alternative, which they most probably will say no because the person you are speaking with is not used to, and/or not trained to give alternatives.</p>

<p>The reason they ask for your SSN is for doing a credit check on you to make sure you are able to to pay your bills - and n case you don't - to ruin your life by ruining your credit score. </p>

<p>From <a href="http://www.xfinity.com/Corporate/Customers/Policies/CustomerPrivacy.html" rel="noreferrer">their</a> <strong>"Comcast Customer Privacy Notice"</strong>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>What kind of personally identifiable information and CPNI does Comcast collect?</strong></p>
  
  <p>Comcast collects information from you at several different points when
  you request, turn on, and use our services under an account we create
  for you. Some of this information is personally identifiable
  information, but much of it is not. We collect certain personally
  identifiable information that our subscribers furnish to us in
  connection with the provision of cable service or other services. In
  order to provide reliable, high quality service to you, we keep
  regular business records containing information about you that may
  constitute personally identifiable information. These account records
  include some, but typically not all, of the following information...</p>
</blockquote>

<p>However, legally speaking, they cannot bind their services to your credit worthiness. They do provide an alternative when asked about it. Most probably they will ask some sort of a monetary deposit in order to open the account. This deposit may, or may not, be spread across several billing cycles. The deposit is their financial guarantee in case you fall behind on your payments. What should you do: </p>

<ol>
<li>Ask them what is the deposit amount. </li>
<li>Can the deposit be spread across multiple bulling cycles</li>
<li>What is the time period that that after it they will return you the deposit. </li>
</ol>

<p>2017-Jan update: Comcast doesn't require your SSN, if you set up autopay. Here's an excerpt from an online chat session at xfinity.com:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/IxUuz.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/IxUuz.png" alt="Comcast doesn&#39;t force you to give your SSN"></a></p>
