And how do you know the CPN you got isn't someone else's number or won't be someday? It isn't like the government created it.[/QUOTE]
There are checks that can be ran on a number to see if it has been issued to anyone.
There are 420 million numbers available for assignment as SSN's, The chances that a CPN number becomes an issued SSN are slim, but possible, yes.
Still less invasive than identity theft. I don't know what happens to the migrant workers that fail the Patriot Act requirements, but using a real US citizens info would help them avoid being detected, as long as the real person does not notice and make a big fuss about it.