8 tips to protect your personal information
Tuesday, May 6, 2008 | | |The social security number is the gateway to your identity, but also criminals want your account numbers and other pieces of useful information to commit identity theft. Limit exposure of your personal information will guard against potential fraud, and in the process of reducing unwanted marketing in some cases.
1. Screen charities
2. Avoid placing on the market
3. Beware on social networking sites
4. Search online job security
5. Secure your computer
6. Limiting physical access to your SSN
7. Do not mail important flag
8. Shred Documents
Screen charities
If a person claiming to represent a charity calls you, ask the caller to send you written information on charity instead of giving credit card information by phone. "If you get any return whatsoever, say," You know what? If it was not important enough to send in writing and I therefore entitled to a review, then it is not important enough for me respond to this call, "" Says Adam Levin, chairman of Identity Theft 911.
Avoid placing on the market
People unnecessarily give personal information at their request supermarket club cards and fill out warranty cards product. "Ask warranty cards for the date of birth, education, income level, number of children living in the house, sometimes working - you do not need to give this information to obtain protection guarantee your clock radio, "says Jack Vonder Heide, president and CEO of centres of information technology." This information is used for marketing purposes. "
The experts also warn against giving your phone number when you're asked at a retail outlet, unless it is necessary to place an order. Although phone numbers are generally used for marketing, it might be possible for someone to find your store current account with a phone number, Vonder Heide said.
Do not share too much on social networking sites
Criminals can use social networking sites to commit identity theft if enough personal information is posted - not to mention that the personal information you display, it is easier to be harassed. In addition to your address, avoid putting your date of birth of your profile, suggests Vonder Heide, because it is a piece of information that a thief needs to steal your identity.
Search online job security
Until a company is ready to hire you, not to provide a potential employer with your social security number. Is it that a thorough background check on companies before submitting your resume and check the privacy policies of online advice before posting your information. "You put your May information on a website and May they have a privacy policy that says they are allowed to sell such information to any person of their choice for whatever purpose they choose," said Vonder Heide.
Make sure your computer is secure before you surf the Web.
Limiting physical access to your SSN
Do not store your social security number or a card in a format easily accessible locations, such as your wallet, your cell phone or in the glove compartment of your car. Make sure you do not have your SSN printed on your checks or used as your driver's license number.
Do not mail important flag
If you send something which contains sensitive information, leaving it in a mailbox unsecured. "When you put up that little red flag is a magnet. Either get a lock box where the only people who have a key you and the post person, or taken to ensure the great mailbox on the corner, "said Levin.
Shred documents with a crosscut shredder
Make confetti "everything you which is a document that has any information about yourself whatsoever that could be regarded as personal as you're not interested in keeping a closer," said Levin.
Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy at the Centre des droits de confidentiality, provides a general rule of disclosure of personal information: "Give your information on a need to know. Before you give your personal information, calculate : Why does this person need my information, and how this information do they need?
1. Screen charities
2. Avoid placing on the market
3. Beware on social networking sites
4. Search online job security
5. Secure your computer
6. Limiting physical access to your SSN
7. Do not mail important flag
8. Shred Documents
Screen charities
If a person claiming to represent a charity calls you, ask the caller to send you written information on charity instead of giving credit card information by phone. "If you get any return whatsoever, say," You know what? If it was not important enough to send in writing and I therefore entitled to a review, then it is not important enough for me respond to this call, "" Says Adam Levin, chairman of Identity Theft 911.
Avoid placing on the market
People unnecessarily give personal information at their request supermarket club cards and fill out warranty cards product. "Ask warranty cards for the date of birth, education, income level, number of children living in the house, sometimes working - you do not need to give this information to obtain protection guarantee your clock radio, "says Jack Vonder Heide, president and CEO of centres of information technology." This information is used for marketing purposes. "
The experts also warn against giving your phone number when you're asked at a retail outlet, unless it is necessary to place an order. Although phone numbers are generally used for marketing, it might be possible for someone to find your store current account with a phone number, Vonder Heide said.
Do not share too much on social networking sites
Criminals can use social networking sites to commit identity theft if enough personal information is posted - not to mention that the personal information you display, it is easier to be harassed. In addition to your address, avoid putting your date of birth of your profile, suggests Vonder Heide, because it is a piece of information that a thief needs to steal your identity.
Search online job security
Until a company is ready to hire you, not to provide a potential employer with your social security number. Is it that a thorough background check on companies before submitting your resume and check the privacy policies of online advice before posting your information. "You put your May information on a website and May they have a privacy policy that says they are allowed to sell such information to any person of their choice for whatever purpose they choose," said Vonder Heide.
Make sure your computer is secure before you surf the Web.
Limiting physical access to your SSN
Do not store your social security number or a card in a format easily accessible locations, such as your wallet, your cell phone or in the glove compartment of your car. Make sure you do not have your SSN printed on your checks or used as your driver's license number.
Do not mail important flag
If you send something which contains sensitive information, leaving it in a mailbox unsecured. "When you put up that little red flag is a magnet. Either get a lock box where the only people who have a key you and the post person, or taken to ensure the great mailbox on the corner, "said Levin.
Shred documents with a crosscut shredder
Make confetti "everything you which is a document that has any information about yourself whatsoever that could be regarded as personal as you're not interested in keeping a closer," said Levin.
Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy at the Centre des droits de confidentiality, provides a general rule of disclosure of personal information: "Give your information on a need to know. Before you give your personal information, calculate : Why does this person need my information, and how this information do they need?
