Giving your SS# to adsense or other ad companies

Is it safe?

[froghat]

Is it safe? I don't wanna become one of these people who get their identity stolen online and lose thousands of dollars.

[Mr_Fern]

Anyone's identity could be stolen by several means. Anyhow, if you feel it's a risk you can always pay to register a business and get a business id if that eases your personal worries.

[incrediBILL]

Of course it's not safe, they might actually pay you then you'll owe taxes.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

[froghat]

hahaha, well I guess it's ok then. I'm just the nervous type

[bxbase]

If someone stole my idenity There isnt a place in the world that would give them credit.
Protect yourself from idenity theft drive your credit rating into the ground.

[ann]

Or get old, that will put a halt to it! LOL

[Porkchop]

I felt the same way.

Solution: set up a dba and go to the irs website and get your own Federal Tax ID (employer identification number). You do not have to have any employees to get this number.

On all your business things like adsense, affiliate programs etc. use this tax id number instead of your ss#

Another advantage to having this number and a dba bank account set up is if the irs comes looking they will only look at this portion and your own personal stuff will be left alone.

Good Luck!

[ann]

Ever had a regular job in the US? Here you have to give it to your employer otherwise they, like Google cannot pay you or even hire you.

[jhood]

Porkchop, you may wish the IRS will look only at your DBA account but that is not true. If it decides to take a close look at you, the IRS will examine everything up to and possibly including your bodily apertures.

A simple DBA does not protect you from personal liability in any way. It is much better to incorporate. This gets you limited liability in some situations but there is no way to hide anything from the IRS other than the cash-under-the-table routine that can get you an ankle bracelet or worse if you're caught.