Woman loses $28,000 car over casino technicality

[The Straight Story]

Woman loses $28,000 car over casino technicality


JAMESTOWN, CA - Linda Marasti nearly fainted when she heard her name announced as the winner of a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu in a casino drawing.

"My legs were weak. I was pale," she said.

But Marasti's euphoria quickly turned to bitter disappointment Sunday evening when she was told by managers at the Chicken Ranch casino that she would not get the car after all because she could not produce an original Social Security card.

Ironically, Marasti, 65, had always carried the card with her until she lost her wallet last month. When a new card was issued May 4, it came with the following warning from the Social Security Administration in capital letters: DO NOT CARRY THIS CARD WITH YOU.

"The woman at the Social Security office told me not to carry it in my wallet. She said to make a copy of it and carry that with you instead," Marasti recalled.

Marasti presented her driver's license and a photocopy of her Social Security card when she went up to claim the car, but after a brief discussion, she was told she was being disqualified because of the photocopy.

http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=82280&catid=2

[SpiralHawk]

1. Sucker - You lose. Republicon family casino values trump your faith in the system

"The House always wins." - My Dear Olde Deadparted Dad*

* the one thing he was right about

[ejpoeta]

2. how can they require you present your social security card!!!

that is not an ID. that is bullshit! a driver's license should have sufficed.

[SoCalDem]

6. because they give you a 1099 when you win over $1199.00

When I gamble I always have my DL and SS card in my fanny pack..just in case :)

It has happened twice to me.. not that big of a win,, but I was happy with $1600.00 and another time I won $2400.00

[tammywammy]

3. That's bullshit. n/t

[Statistical]

4. I would sue. They have no authority to demand the SS card.

Likely she could get the car plus $50K more in punitive damages. :)

[brendan120678]

5. You need to present it for tax reporting purposes...

any cash or other award over a certain value, you need to have reported as income.

[Statistical]

7. Really well I would be screwed then.

Been to Vegas likely 10 times. Once I won $10K and had to present government ID at cashier's cage but never a SS card.

Maybe times have changed. It never even occurs to me to take my SS anywhere but going to a new job.

[Atman]

15. It would never even occur to me to take my SS card to a new job...I don't even have a SS card.

I haven't seen my Social Security card since I was 12. I've never, ever needed it for anything. The number is sufficient, especially if you have other ID that matches the name that comes up when they check you SS number. Seriously, what are the odds of guessing/making up a random 9-digit number that just happens to match your name? Astronomical. You'd have a better chance of winning the lottery. Also, what is the point of the card as ID? I always laugh at my son's card; since you have to get a SS ID number almost immediately these days, my son got his when he was about 3 or 4 -- and his "signature" on the card is in pencil, looking much like you'd expect a 4 year old's handwriting to look. It seems kind of worthless as an "ID."

[tammywammy]

17. You have to provide identification for the I-9 form if you're starting a new job

You can provide a driver's license and a social security card, but you could just provide your passport in place of both.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf

[Atman]

18. Yeah, I used my passport when I got hired at my current job.

I've been self-employed most of my life. Last time I worked for someone else was in the eighties, and you weren't required to show ID then.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. no, you have to present a valid number. Not some piece of paper.

there is a huge difference.

[Javaman]

14. While that might be true...

I think the casino is being disingenuous by requiring people to show an original when they probably know full well that people rarely carry it.

Oh those casino lawyers are probably toasting themselves now and the casino owners are probably sending them a fat bonus check.

[proudohioan]

8. Chicken Ranch? Wonder why they named the casino after a brothel?

[madmax]

9. Can we say SCAM!! nt

[cbdo2007]

11. She has a good defense - she lives 4 miles away and said she would go get the original

and they said "No" and picked another name.

They can prove that they posted that original documents are necessary but all she needs to prove is that there is no where that says she has to produce the documents immediately.

Timing here is the key. There is no reason why she couldn't say she would be back in 15 minutes with the SS card.

Good grief I hope no one ever asks for mine! It'll take me an hour in the basement to find it so I better do that tonight just in case...

[CanonRay]

12. A Social Security card is not identification, and never has been.

It's right in the Agnecy manuals. She should file suit.

[Celebration]

13. LOL, I think she would have a good case

"An internal Chicken Ranch memo to casino managers and supervisors obtained by News10 said the requirement that winners of large prizes produce an original Social Security card followed "erroneous" information given by previous winners. The memo said winnings would be held as "unclaimed jackpots" until an original card could be produced.

Marasti lives four miles from the casino and offered to go home to get her Social Security card, but the offer was declined. Casino staff apologized, then called another name."

Didn't even follow their own internal procedures. Case closed.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

16. I haven't SEEN my social security card in 25 years.

I probably threw it out. It was a cheap little piece of cardstock and no one has ever asked me for it.

[Statistical]

19. Employers?

Then again you can use passport instead.

I always use passport because it proves citizenship & identity in one document and is very durable. Most Americans don't have a passport though.