I hesitate to give my social security number to use Apple Pay Cash

For all practical purposes, your Apple Pay Cash account is a prepaid debit account that is established in your name with Green Dot Bank which is licensed in the State of Utah and is a Member of the FDIC. All banks and financial services institutions are required pursuant to the Patriot Act to "Know Your Customer" and positively identify the account holders to prevent fraud, money laundering and the creation of fake accounts to use U.S.-based financial services to facilitate the illegal transfer/hiding of money to support terrorism and other illicit acts. The criteria is no less strengthen for this account as it would be if you were to open a bank account in your town.

I can certainly understand your concern; however, given their established presence in the industry, as well Apple's trust in them as their financial partner to facilitate the Cash Card product, I wouldn't worry about it.

As the article linked within my previous reply explains:

"Information that you provide will be sent to Green Dot Bank and their identity verification service provider. Your name and address is securely stored by the partner bank and Apple Payments Inc. If asked, social security number, date of birth, answers to questions (e.g. confirm street name you have previously lived on), or a copy of your government ID will be provided to Green Dot Bank and their identity service provider, and stored by Green Dot Bank as long as required by law. This additional information cannot be read by Apple.

Apple created Apple Payments Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, to protect your privacy by storing and processing information separately from the rest of Apple and in a way that the rest of Apple doesn’t know."

Hi

Apple advises that, if you are asked to provide that information, then it is because the provider of the service (the regulated financial institution that provides person to person payments and the Apple Pay Cash card) requires it in order to comply with federal law.

More information:

Identity verification for Apple Pay Cash - Apple Support

Yes, Jonathan, I noticed the reply before I posted. When it comes to peoples financial information and the overwhelming instances of identity fraud and theft in the U.S. and data breaches, many feel more comfortable with an explanation beyond "to comply with federal law" and a lot of users despite it being in the terms which are rarely read do not realize that an account is established anywhere other than with Apple when using the service.

As previously advised, 16 days ago. Don't mention it.