The e-mail sounded too good to be true. I was the "winner" of free Twins tickets to Saturday's game against the Chicago White Sox because -- like many fans -- I voted to send Delmon Young to this year's All-Star Game.

The offer came with a catch: I couldn't get the tickets unless I faxed back a form with my Social Security number. The government warns against doing that because it makes you vulnerable to identity theft.

But it turns out both the offer -- and the request -- were real. Chris Iles, a Twins spokesman, said Major League Baseball insists on getting the Social Security numbers of contest winners because officials want to make sure nobody connected to the league claims such prizes.

What happened when you wouldn't provide your Social Security number?

JEFFREY MEITRODT