Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum SSN Deal Breaker

Yes, the piano is in NY state and would have came to Canada through customs.

Gerg, if you don't give out you SS#, especially to your own government, what purpose does it serve you...might as well tatoo it under your hair and throw your card away? I'm sure there are still other things it is absolutely required for such as a passport, getting social assistance/ drivers licence ect...no?

I appreciate the responses to this and have come to the conclusion that there are mixed feelings and a 50/50 split on revealing this number to the government. I guess the seller didn't regard the sale of the piano as important as protecting her privacy. She lost the deal, and if she calls the potential buyer back to say she changed her mind she will be told to "go to H E double hockey sticks".

I think that when there is a stringent required proof of identity on government forms it is usually because someone commited fraud or took advantage of the system in the past and the govt. is just tightening the loop holes.

And not just the governments of this continent. Gene is correct; the agreement to discontinue the use of ivory was established on an international level and the purpose was to prevent the poaching of these large mammals for their ivory only, to be sold on the black market. Preventing the use of ivory for musical instruments has helped to stem the flow of illegal ivory word wide but has not prevented it entirely. So the agreement was put in place, not to demonstrate government interference with open markets, but to regulate an un-regulated part of business that steadfastly refused to cooperate on its own. What this has to do with someone being a Marxist or not simply escapes me.

Very similar to the recent worldwide diamond issue that spawned the movie Blood Diamond. That is a situation which produced another worldwide agreement of cooperation between nations.

As I stated earlier, pass this one by Emmery, if the seller does not have a desire to cooperate with the requirements of selling this instrument internationally, and then move to the next instrument.

In reality though if you think it through, she could have filled out the documents on her own, sent them to the government on her own, notified you of confirmation that the government service received the documents, and then you could have made arrangements for payment and transport.

Also she could have taken ID from both of you…………if suddenly there was an instance of identity theft for her……………it would have not been too difficult to figure out who it was. International agreements are in place for this type of crime too I believe….. or perhaps coming to your neighbourhood soon.

Sorry for getting a little OT here - but:
In regard to diamonds, there is one big company that controlls the trade worldwide, sanctioned by the agreeing governments. If it were unregulated the market would be flooded and the the stone and the value would fall to about the same as glass.
My interpretation of the related movie was that the practice of regulating the stones keeps the price up, the stones artifically scarce and slavery in tact.

The other part, perhaps already mentioned would be any taxes/duty paid to Canada.
New York is a particularly strong at enforcing tax laws for their revenue.

I can see that the one identification means most reliable would be a SSN.

Certainly, this issue can be checked through the US and Canadian Customs.

If the US and Canadian governments are enforcing this issue then, well, that IS what would be required.

Of course, none of us give out our SSN number thoughtlessly. That is a given.

There are people whose business it is to facilitate transactions such as this and although I could not speak for them, I would guess they would process a transaction such as that for a very small fee. Worthwhile I am sure.

I am afraid I can not comment on the rest of this thread.

Hmmm. If I get this straight:

Ivory is subject to international agreement to restrict illegal trafficing of endangered species.

Piano has ivory so an identification trail is required to verify origin, regardless of how old the piano or age of ivory keys. (I would assume the same would be for ivory veneered chests, oriental screens and scrimshaw.)

Customer does not wish to divulge SS # for reasons unkhown, ergo sale is undone.

And it is in the end a Maxist plot reaching to the highest level of the American government.

"Truth is stranger than Fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilites; Truth isnt." Mark Twain

You forget David Vincent, Sam, but I heard of a grand piano where the customs took off all ivories, probably because they fear of a traffic !!

On another one, a technician had to come by to make that himself.

I trace it to a global hate of musicians in some administrations !