I was setting up an account at an online bank and they had a note in parenthesis to enter the dashes. The 10w light bulb clicked in my head and I went back and checked the note at the end of the IRS question:
View attachment 4546098
which I do remember reading and you would ASSume you just enter the number, but there are 2 extra spaces available for input besides your SS# so...
Wonder how many other people fell for this?
edit: besides jerry 
edit, edit: and sunny!