The practice of a company representative requesting an individual’s Social Security number through electronic mail constitutes a potentially risky communication. For example, a new hire might receive an email seemingly from human resources requesting this sensitive information for onboarding purposes.
The significance of safeguarding Social Security numbers cannot be overstated, given their use in identity theft and other fraudulent activities. Historically, the reliance on this identifier for various administrative processes has made it a prime target for malicious actors. The inherent vulnerabilities of email communication, such as susceptibility to interception or spoofing, amplify the danger associated with transmitting this data electronically.
