evey7, the normal day to day person in the USA does not have a tax number. Tax numbers are for businesses and corporations, and the occassional foreign investor.

Citizens in the USA use their social security number to pay their taxes, and you can't get one of those unless you become a legal resident. So if you ask for a tax number, unless they own a business, they are going to think you are asking for a social security number, and they know you can't get one of those.

The IRS will be happy to give you a tax number.