Hi NL members in The States,
Am based in in Nigeria, but baby was born at my sister's home in the States. She called today for baby's SSN, pls I will like to know the positive effect of this request, as well as the Negative effects.

thank you very much for your anticipated reply.

Did she say what she wanted it for?
It would hardly be just for her scrapbook. If you haven't, why not just ask her what she needs it for?

AjanleKoko:

Did she say what she wanted it for?
It would hardly be just for her scrapbook. If you haven't, why not just ask her what she needs it for?

To get some Tax Rebate,  Don't know what that means.


Pls advise and enlighten me.
Thank you.

PatKing:

To get some Tax Rebate,  Don't know what that means.
But it is Money for her use, stating my kid is her dependant.

I really want to know the positive ways people have used it, or negative ways that has been associated with such use. Just want to have good reasons why I should not judge her good intention wrongly, in as much as am doing my best to secure a good SSN record for my kid.

Pls advise and enlighten me.
Thank you.

Well . . . it is a tough one. what she is doing is illegal, and the repercussions I think would be more for her, than for your child. If she's found out, it could be classified as a tax fraud, which people sometimes go to jail for, or pay a fine. I think you should just state your objections and concerns. It's never good to do anything illegal.

Ok, here is what your hubby's sister want to do; she want to claim your child as her dependent so she could get Earned Income Credit or to reduce her tax liablity. If she is not making good money, say like 20,000$ per year then she want to use your clid to get earned income credit. Probably she might have promised to send you part of the money for letting her use your child's ss#.
Lot of people here do it to cheat the goverment, but not many get caught. But think of your child's future, if this SS# is used for someother things then your child's credit get messed up. If the credit is messed up then your child will have a hard time settling this.
If it was me I would not do it,

Am absolutely thankful for your honest advice, am sure not giving it out, I guess I now have a good base to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.
Thank you very much.

AjanleKoko:

Well . . . it is a tough one. what she is doing is illegal, and the repercussions I think would be more for her, than for your child. If she's found out, it could be classified as a tax fraud, which people sometimes go to jail for, or pay a fine. I think you should just state your objections and concerns. It's never good to do anything illegal.

Am looking forward to your definition of illegal. The poster states it here that her child is living with the sister so the child is a dependent of the sister for tax purposes. There is absolutely nothing illegal in this present scenario. A dependent for tax purposes doesn't have to be your biological child provided the dependent gets 50% of their cost of living from u. As it is in this case the dependent gets 100% so i don't see anything illegal in claiming the child as a dependent. What if the child starts going to school and want to claim in-state resident for tuition purposes will he/she use the parents residency status ( who are in Nigeria) or the guardian? Will claiming the guardian residency status be illegal too?
I wonder how some Nigerians are quick to jump to conclusion that something is illegal. SMH

Where does she say the child is living with the hubby's sister? She said the child was born there. If the child is living with the hubby's sister and she provided more than 1/2 the support then she had all the right to claim the child as the dependent. If not then it is illegal.

she is going to do a tax scam with the ssn
You have to also worry about her opening utilities with your child's info. He would be in debt before he even grows up.


people in this country can be f#@ked up sometimes so be careful

oyewolejos:

Am looking forward to your definition of illegal. The poster states it here that her child is living with the sister so the child is a dependent of the sister for tax purposes. There is absolutely nothing illegal in this present scenario. A dependent for tax purposes doesn't have to be your biological child provided the dependent gets 50% of their cost of living from u. As it is in this case the dependent gets 100% so i don't see anything illegal in claiming the child as a dependent. What if the child starts going to school and want to claim in-state resident for tuition purposes will he/she use the parents residency status ( who are in Nigeria) or the guardian? Will claiming the guardian residency status be illegal too?
I wonder how some Nigerians are quick to jump to conclusion that something is illegal. SMH

You really misunderstood what the original poster (OP) wrote. The OP just like many Nigerian women who are given the chance came to America mainly to have a baby so that the child will be a US citizen. The baby has gone back to Nigeria with the OP who is the mom of the infant. The op's sister wants the child's social security number so that she can claim the child on her tax return as a dependant and as such get more money back from the government when she files her taxes. What OP's sister is trying to do is fraudulent on all levels because 1) the child does not live in the united States with the OP's sister 2) the OP's sister did not spend significant amounts of money on child care expenses for the most part of 2011 because I doubt the OP stayed for more than 3 months here in the States if OP is not a legal permanent resident. If OP gives this greedy sister of hers her child's social security number, you best believe she (OP's sister) will want to claim the child every year (though the child is not in her care and outside the USA) and if that happens and the IRS finds out, OP's sister will not only have to pay back taxes to the government for cheating the american tax system but could also face possible jail terms.

@Poster

Please do NOT give this sister of yours your child's social security number. It is this type of corrupt, dishonest behaviour from Nigerians like your sister that continues to give Nigerians a bad reputation wherever we find ourselves outside Nigeria. Is it so hard for Nigerians to be honest for once in their darn lives? Why do we as a people leave Nigeria and go to other people's countries to break their laws and rules? Can't we have some atom of respect for our host country? It is indeed a shame being a Nigerian because we seem to be such a dishonest bunch of heffers!