Hello. You make a good point, certainly having someone's SS# makes such activities easier. On the other side of it, however, is the fact that SS#s are public record - any information developed and/or kept by the government is accessible by the public. Is this right - probably not, but it's the way it is, and until there is a specific law preventing disclosure it will remain that way. So to answer your question about suggestions, the only one really is to contact your senators and congressmen and demand that such a law be passed.
In the meantime, in my opinion the whole issue of identity theft has been blown completely out of proportion by the popular media. Is there a problem? Sure. Is it a really bad problem? No. I don't personally know a single person who has had their identity stolen (and I know a lot of people). It is a lot harder than it appears, and just having a name and SS# doesn't help that much. I would worry more about a stolen credit card - not because I would be liable for anything charged, but because the overall fraud comes back to all of us in higher fees and prices at stores. So my other suggestion would be to take reasonable cautions and don't over-worry.
Informati&on Systems Manager
30+ years experience in I.T., Certified Oracle Developer & DBA, and Director of I.T.