Why does DIRECTV ask for your Social Security number when you sign up?

Yeah, it seems a little questionable, that’s true. DIRECTV asks a lot of personal questions when you sign up, including your social security number. You might be asking yourself why, and we wouldn’t blame you. Identity theft is a very real problem.

DIRECTV asks your social security number as part of the fairly inclusive background and credit check they run. The information is kept private and as secure as possible. DIRECTV has found that the easiest way to keep costs down is to limit credit problems. In many cases it costs close to $1,000 in parts and labor for that “free” install and DIRECTV wants to make sure they make the money back over time.

Remember, when you get DIRECTV service you’re entering into a lease, just like with a car or apartment. You get equipment and pay a monthly fee, and in exchange you get DIRECTV service. When you lease a car or apartment, a background check is part of the deal, and it’s the same here.

If you really want DIRECTV service without a background check, there are much better options than there were in the past. Until recently, the only way to get DIRECTV without a credit check was to buy everything outright (at about 3x the normal price) and pay for the install yourself. This got pricey fast, and let’s face facts if you were the sort of person who kept that kind of coin around you probably would be able to pass a credit check.

There’s a better solution: DIRECTV NOW. DIRECTV NOW is the streaming-only version of DIRECTV. You get almost all the channels offered by DIRECTV, including most of your locals, plus the ability to pick from three packages starting at only $35 a month. Instead of using satellites to bring programming to you, it uses your internet connection. DIRECTV NOW brings great DIRECTV programming including tens of thousands of on demand programs to your phone, tablet, or streaming box with a full guide, and channel changes that are lightning-fast.

If you’re looking for DVR service, you should know that it’s not available today but several web sites are reporting that it’s in beta test and that means it’s probably rolling out pretty soon.

DIRECTV NOW is the best way to get everything you love about DIRECTV Satellite without a contract or credit check. It’s paid month-to-month and you can cancel anytime with no early termination fees.

Check out DIRECTV NOW here: Get DIRECTV NOW – Solid Signal

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.