The letter from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation turned out to be legitimate, but you can't blame Bill McNamee for being suspicious about it because of all the various scams crooks use to steal your identity.

The letter said PennDOT is in the process of validating Social Security numbers to ensure the information in its files is correct.

"Although your Social Security number is not printed on your driver's license/identification card or any other PennDOT document, it is used to ensure your identity when interacting with our agency on driver license and motor vehicle issues," it said. "Using this unique identifier, we are able to protect your confidential information."

The letter said PennDOT "has partnered with the Social Security Administration (SSA)" to validate individuals' Social Security numbers.

"The name, date of birth and Social Security number contained on your driver record has been compared to the SSA records and inconsistencies have been identified.

"Inconsistencies occur when customers used their nickname when obtaining their [Social Security number], by not changing their name with SSA or PennDOT after marriage or as a result of typographical errors.

"Therefore, we are asking you to complete the attached form and return it in the enclosed envelope so that any inconsistencies can be resolved.

And if Mr. McNamee didn't do that within 60 days?

"We will have to take additional action, including the possible cancellation of your driver license/identification card."

Mr. McNamee, 60, of Robinson, the business manager of the Ambridge School District, showed the letter to his wife, Catherine, 57, an at-home customer service representative for a Denver company.

"It seems like they are trying to put the fear of the Lord in you to scare you into providing that information," Catherine McNamee said.

She showed her husband that the ZIP code of the return address in the upper left corner of the envelope the letter came in was different from the ZIP code of the envelope in which he was to return the "Social Security Number Verification Form."

She also pointed out that the return envelope had a post office box address in Harrisburg, not a street address.

Mrs. McNamee said the letter was signed by Janet L. Dolan, who was identified as the director of the Bureau of Driver Licensing.

"But I couldn't find her name on the PennDOT Web site and that also made me suspicious," she said.

Mrs. McNamee called a toll-free number listed at the bottom of the letter. She said she grew increasingly concerned when the woman who answered the phone "was rude, didn't know who Janet Dolan was and said my questions made her suspicious of me."

After the McNamees contacted the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, I called PennDOT and spoke to Danielle Klinger, a community relations coordinator for the agency. She assured me the letter was legitimate and intended to clear up discrepancies. With the McNamees' permission, I forwarded their e-mail to Ms. Klinger.

"A woman named Joanne called us and answered all our questions," Mrs. McNamee said. "She was very nice. She apologized for what had happened. It turned out that PennDOT had one of Bill's Social Security numbers wrong. She said they would make changes in the wording of the letter and review the training of the call center."

Ms. Klinger said PennDOT has sent out letters to "less than one-tenth of 1 percent" of the state's 8,337,271 current licensed drivers, 878,021 residents who have photo identification cards, and 299,286 residents who have a license and an ID card. That means about 95,145 residents will be receiving the letters.

Ms. Klinger said PennDOT started mailing the letters last year. Unfortunately, it failed to notify the public or the news media what it was doing. A news release would have been appropriate.