supplying your social security number when paying

Do you have a personal property tax in MD? It must have something to do with taxes. I can't believe it's some weird off shoot of some State of MD Patriot Act like regulation. If you pay actual green (well they are still mostly green) cash, they would be required to get this & ID from you.

 

I fyou pay with a big chunk of cash 10000+ they would still get your SSN to fill out a CTR/SAR report to comply with anti money laundering laws for FinCEN.

 

I would be real leary about giving my SS to anyone. There is so much identity theft now it's at epidemic proportions. Until congressw enacts stiff prison sentences for identity thieves you are at everyone who sees your SS's mercy.

There are many dishonest store employees.

 

Here in Nevada, I had my financing arranged elsewhere, but my bank had a relationship with the dealer. It was MUCH easier to do finanacing through my own bank, but at the dealership.
MY SSN was on one and only one form: The final finance papers. When my sales guy wanted my license, I let him copy it on the copier as there is no SSN on it. He was required by their insurance to do that to let me test drive anything.
He kpet asking if I wanted to do a run through with my credit to see if I did better on any of theirs, but U had my pre-approval letter from, and the finance gu read and and told me he had NO CHANCE of anything better. Issue was closed, no creit check ecer done at dealership.
As for running your credit, you can run it as many times as you want within a 30-day period for the sane kind of note: FICO considers this shopping, so you only get one spike-mark for as many credit checks you want. WHere it hurts you is if you run it more than monthly- if you try to get a car-loan for a few months. Read info on www.myfico.com.
FYI- Prius still available at MSRP list in Vegas, anyone who wants contact info, let me know! Usually a 4-7 day wait now.

 

In Missouri, my dealer had a sign that said due to the patriot act they had to collect my SSN.

HOWEVER, I believe that was completely false.

Here's what I did:
1) Crossed out and initialled all references to on the "sales order" that gave permission to run credit checks (even though the salesman said this was unnecessary).
2) Allowed the salesman to make a photcopy of my license (lic# isn't my ssn). I followed the salesman into the business office and watched him photocopy the front of my license.
3) Refused to sign the dealer's "privacy notice" that in leagalese said something that looked as if I was giving my permission to sell my information. The sales manager said it wasn't a permission form, but that they were basically doing the same thing as banks/insurance companies that are required to give you a privacy statement. I accepted his explanation, but still did not sign. He said he nicely that was fine and put in a blank copy in my "customer folder".
4) Paid with a cashier's check drawn on a local bank.

When I showed up to pay for and pick up my car, the sales manager had me sign several forms like a bill of sale and a transfer of title application etc. On none of them did I put, nor was I ever asked for my SSN. Nor would I have given it if asked. Interestingly enough, I could have easily stolen several other people's SSN's if I wanted as there were several applications for credit on the sales manager's desk. Sad. There were also several "post-it-note" type id/password pairs taped or stuck to the sales manager's desk. Even more sad.

If you are getting financing through the dealer you should expect to give your SSN for a credit check (though credit checks can be run without an ssn).

Otherwise, if you don't want to give your SSN, then don't. If the dealer insists, then take your business elsewhere. Priuses are NOT THAT rare.

If they claim there is a state law requiring SSN collection, then the should be able to provide PROOF of that law. Who knows in Maryland, there may be some sort of facist law requiring collection of SSN on a car sale, but I doubt it.

After a little internet research, it would seem that this is not the case. It looks as if in Maryland, that the dealer acts as the sales tax and license agent. The title application on the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration site asks for driver's license number, but not SSN.

 

My guess is that with the tax deduction (in 2005) and the tax credit (in 2006) they may use your SSN to validate that you actually did buy the car.

Then again, I hate giving out that information too. Personally, I just used a magnet to demag the strip on the back on my CA drivers license.