Agencies Directed to Remove Confidential Data From TINS Addresses Immediately
Issued: June 16, 2011
State agencies and institutions of higher education should immediately determine if they have mail codes in the Texas Identification Number System (TINS) that contain supplemental confidential data in the payee name or address fields. Remove at once any data items such as:
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Driver’s license number
- Account number
- Direct deposit instructions
- Medical information
- Other information as described in Business and Commerce Code Section 521.002
This directive also applies to Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS) payment transactions where the payee name and address are processed through USAS without TINS verification using summary identification numbers or for reimbursement payrolls for universities.
See Texas Government Code Section 552.352 (the Public Information Act) for the statute on the distribution and misuse of confidential information.
Agencies must not enter confidential data when establishing new or updating existing mail codes in TINS. For more information, see the Confidential Information section of TexPayment Resource.
It is the agency’s responsibility to verify that the payee name and address fields do not include any supplemental confidential data as specified above before submitting the payment to the Comptroller’s office. The agency must remove supplemental confidential data from these fields in TINS and USAS before payment.
If you have questions or need an extract of mail codes your agency has established or paid, please contact the Payment Services Help Desk at (512) 936-8138 or tins.mail@cpa.texas.gov.
Note: Under no circumstances should agencies enter confidential data such as complete Social Security or credit card numbers in the payee name and address fields. Only the last four digits of a Social Security number or a credit card number should be entered in the USAS INV NO or DESC fields if needed to reconcile payments. For more information, see USAS Invoice Number Field Requirements (FPP E.023).