Yes it is. You need to get access to run their credit bureau. If you can do that, you will be able to get the SSN# easy. You do not need the ssn to run the credit bureau. If you do not have access, try going to your local dmv and run their driving record, often it is on that. If that doesnt work, check with voters regestration and get the info there.
You're right it does work. But here's one better. I had a neighbor years ago who I didn't like. So I used to take his trash down the street a bit and throw it in other people yard at night. Sure enough they would go through it and find out his address. In the beginning one guy brought it back. But it eventually ended up as a feud between the people down in the townhouses and him. They eventually called the cops on him. Of course there were a lot of other little dirty tricks going on at the same time. Funny thing is that eventually he figured out he wasn't wanted in the community and moved. He was renting so he just moved on.