FTC: Move away from using social security numbers in public sector by developing alternative strategies for identity management. Financial services sector is being looked to for leadership in this alternative strategies, FTC official says. Social security numbers are a convenient identifier, but the use of them compromises consumer safety, she says. Businesses that are still using them for identification purposes need to move away from them and find alternative ways to identify customers, she adds. FTC chairman: We must do better in anticipating the ramifications of any new identification and authentication systems that were building today.”]