My wife’s daughter recently applied for a job then came to my wife and I saying that the employer she was applying to needed both of our Social Security Numbers and a copy of our most recent tax return.
Now, her daughter is 23, has not lived her since she was 14 and has basically never lived with us. (Right after her mother and I got married her father told her “You mother has tanstaafl but I don’t have anyone, won’t you please come live with me”, but that’s another issue.)
My wife was willing to turn over the information but I refused, since I see no reason why they would need that information and now both of them are annoyed with me. I asked for a contact at the employer so I could call and ask why they wanted the info but her daughter refused.
So my question: Does anyone know of any legitimate reason that an employer would want the Social Security Numbers and tax information of a prospective employee, especially given that the prospective employee is 23? Thanks.
I’ve never had an employer ask for this, and get the same reaction you do–there’s something fishy about it. (Especially the tax return–I could understand that for a loan, where your financials matter–but for a job, I just don’t get it).
What kind of job is it? Do you know who the employer is? Can you Google them (if just to figure out if they exist, what they do, etc, etc?)
Only thing I can think of is if it’s some sort of need based government program, but the fact that the daughter refused to provide contact info makes my spidey sense tingle…
Some employers do run credit checks but asking a potential employee for a copy of her parent’s tax return and their Social Security number is bizarre. Assuming your daughter isn’t trying to pull a fast one on you and your wife I’d suggest she get into contact with whoever handles her state’s employment rules. You’re not really supposed to even ask someone in a job interview if they’re married or have children so I don’t think those questions would be kosher.
is it a company that does direct contract work for a branch of government? my father in law is an oracle admin for a company that holds a major medical insurance contract, and he undergoes period background checks that include basic information about his family, including my wife and myself - but not our ssn/tax returns.
Could you tell us who the employer is? This is such a freakish request on their part that it would be relevant to know if they were, say, a defense contractor or a well-known pyramid scheme.
It’s a position at a museum but I honestly couldn’t tell you which one. I should have added earlier that she is still a grad student so it might be something related to that, though again she hasn’t lived with us for almost 10 years and has never been considered a dependent of mine. The request apparently came from the employer though, not her school.
After I was hired (and had already started) at my current job, I needed my parent’s SSNs to make them the beneficiaries on my employer-provided life insurance and 401k. We assumed that was just their policy for reporting my parents windfall income to the IRS if I croak, and none of us worried about it. Asking for tax records would have made my eyebrows go somewhere up to the top of my skull. That’s just weird.
tanstaafl, maybe it’s some kind of work-study program that she’s not really eligible for? I think you’re absolutely correct not to turn over your tax records to an unknown entity. She should give you the contact information, or she can remain peeved all her little heart desires.
While I’ve never applied for a job with an intelligence agency, I have applied for a security clearance as a twentysomething adult. I wasn’t asked for my parents’ info but was for people who had known me for a while. But even then, all they wanted was basic contact info. (Presumably the spooks can get the SSNs if they want them.) Another vote for something fishy.
I’m a graduate student currently working in a museum. At no point as an undergrad or graduate student nor has any employer ever asked me for my parent’s SSN # or their tax returns. (I never had any loans.) There is absolutely no reason any director of a museum would need that information. Zero. Zip. Zilch. It is not a legitimate request whether it’s run by the federal, state, local, or “private” interest.
I would not give my information to her. If she’s telling the truth she needs to lodge a complaint. If I were her I’d get the request in writing from them.
I don’t think there’s anything fishy. There’s some Government Credit for hiring certain classes of people, and from what you said about your daughter she MAY possibly qualify and if she said she was claimed as a Dependent on your tax returns, or she was living with you, they may need to know some of that info.
Well, then she should be able to provide tanstaafl with written proof and contact information. We’re told day in and day out not to give financial information without a good reason - and they (or she) are asking for tax records.
The daughter doesn’t want to be perceived as having helicopter parents. She doesn’t want Mommy or Daddy calling and asking questions.
Which is all well and good, but I think you need to tell your daughter you need a very good reason to hand over that kind of information. “They want it” isn’t good enough. It is entirely reasonable for her to go back to them and ask why this information is necessasry and how it will be used.
And it might be important for her to know. If it’s some kind of oddball tax subsidy as DrDeth suggests, well, maybe it would be useful to know that the museum is claiming that she is an LTE or a summer intern or a disadvantaged youth or whatever.
You are being conned. Either your wife’s daughter or ex-husband are trying to pull something. Neither you nor your wife should provide the information.
No, no, no never give your social security number much less anyone else’s on an application. I have had two people try to do open accounts with MY number. One with a job I got and one I didn’t get. I managed to trace it back to a clerk who worked in H/R each time.
And employer only needs a social security number and references AFTER they have decided that they are serious and are ready to check information.
They will have the daughter’s SS# and enough info, like mother’s maiden name to open accounts.
Well, the NSA has a museum in Mr. Meade. Something tells me that she’s not applying there.
Ive read that this kind of thing is a new internet scam. Scammers post tempting job offers and ask the person to responding with an application usually asking for SSN, bank records, etc. This could be related. She should be able to tell you more. If she refuses then youre right in continuing your refusal.