Protect Yourself, No One Else Will

The Magazine of Information Sciences and Technology

13 October 2005 No Comment

By Angela Goliva

If you think the term “Identity theft” is a warning only for the rich and famous – you are wrong. Identify theft is the numero uno cause of consumer complains to the Federal Trade Commission. It occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. It is the fastest growing computer security-related threat. It’s your responsibility to protect your information. Skilled identity thieves may use a variety of methods to gain access to your data. The Federal Trade Commission gives details of how identity thieves can obtain and use personal information.

Here are a few steps you have to take to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft:

Once a year obtain copies of your credit report from the major credit bureaus and check for accuracy.

Keep your personal information confidential. Shred anything that contains your personal information that you no longer need, such as bills, pay stubs, etc.

Do not have your social security or drivers license numbers printed on your personal checks.

Be careful when providing personal information to telephone solicitors or over the Internet.Your SSN is the most important piece of information. Your employer and financial institution will most probably need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes. Sometimes, businesses may ask you for your SSN to do a credit check, like when you apply for a loan, rent an apartment or even get a cellular service. Mostly, they want your SSN for general record keeping. You don’t have to give a business your SSN just because they ask for it. The FTC recommends asking the following questions when someone asks for your SSN:

Why do you need my SSN?
How will my SSN be used?
What law requires me to give you my SSN?
What will happen if I don’t give you my SSN?

Understanding how your SSN is used will help determine whether you want to share it or not.

“Trust no one” – at least when it comes to your personal information. The risk of identify theft can be minimized if not eliminated. Even after our vigilant effort, we’re still vulnerable to errant business and government practices. Vulnerable databases, sharing of personal information between companies and trash with unshredded sensitive information are just a few things that put us all at risk.