Coming from a country where your address and social security number are basically publicly-available information (so of course neither are used for anything sensitive), it took me some time to understand the fuss Americans tend to make about SSNs...
Yes, when I arrived my coworker gave me an orientation and highly suggest buy a paper shredder ?!? Why? I have never had a paper shredder before. I saw some at the lab I was working in Europe, but it made sense there (pre-2000 we use to print listing a lot).
Yes, Social Security number is another oddness, with the credit score too :)
