A recent discovery that a large number of social security numbers in the Dane County area can be legally accessed has sparked serious concern among local citizens.
As reported by WKOW-TV, any citizen can legally search through public records such as mortgage documents and federal tax loans, many of which contain social security numbers.
The documents can be accessed for free in the registers of deeds office or for $5.95 on the register of deeds online website.
WKOW-TV utilized the public website to access social security numbers for hundreds of Wisconsin residents including several public figures, according to the study.
However, Kristi Chlebowski, Dane County’s register of deeds, said citizens should not panic just yet. According to her, only about 2 to 3 percent of the office’s documents contain social security numbers and cannot be accessed through deeds, the majority of the offices’ documents.
“It’s not as easy as it sounds,” Chlebowski said. “If you’re talking (about) nearly a million records, only 2,000 to 3,000 will have social security numbers.”
Chlebowski added the state has not been allowed to accept any documents with social security numbers on them since 2006 and most documents in the past decade have not required the digits.
The register of deeds office has also invested in new software that will be available within the upcoming weeks to fix this unintended invasion of privacy by removing social security numbers electronically from public records, according to Chlebowski,
Chlebowski added that citizens will not have to take any action. The software will scan the documents and remove all social security numbers automatically, she said.
“It’s not a state statute that I have to do this, but I’m trying to be proactive by offering this service to the Dane County citizens,” Chlebowski said.
In response to a variety of complaints receive by the office, Chlebowski said people interested in removing their social security numbers from documents immediately can contact the Dane County register of deeds office via e-mail.
