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Identity Theft: Restoring Your Identity What is t
November 19, 2009
Reports of identity theft are on the rise. Why? Perhaps it is our dependence on the computer age. Seems like a profound statement? Well, let's take a pause and reflect on how we choose to conduct our business. Most of us depend on our computers to: pay bills, transfer funds, trade stock, purchase services and products, attend classes, exchange photos and tid-bits with families and friends via social network websites, respond to job postings, enter a job claim for unemployment benefits, just to point out a few incidents where we compromise our privacy by entering our personal information into these various types of computer websites. Safe enough right, I mean, you are entering in most cases a secured server, https://..., right? So, why would you worry? Simple, folks make a good living out of hacking their way into the best protected sites. It seems that almost every day, there is a news report that talks about an international hacking ring with one thing in mind, to steal identities, addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, debit card numbers, social security numbers, birth dates, you name it, they can get it. So, why offer this information so freely? Is it the convenience? Are we to believe we will have a greener planet if we conduct our monthly bill paying on-line? Maybe so, may be not, either way, you are agreeing to take a risk by conducting business on-line. We recommend that you be selective with your bill paying and purchasing options.
Security experts will tell you, it's not just hacking that is causing all the raucous, it is the way we miss handle information that we obtain from our customers and suppliers on standard forms: credit applications, employment applications, correspondence, invoices, receipts, you know, the proverbial paper chase. A good single dumpster dive can produce information with an average street market value of $6.00 per data piece, that's roughly $6.00 for a name, address, phone number, add $4.00 more for a social security number or a credit card number. There's money to be made in your average dumpster. Now, that just covers the data that we throw out, let's make a quick mention about the information we mishandle internally: unlocked storage files, documents left on a desk, printer, copier, remote storage devices, (because we need to work from home, but somehow, the data stays in the car, backpack, purse, brief case) what ever the scenario, 90% of the time the remote device is not password protected or encrypted, it is just as vulnerable as the manila folder sitting on top of a file cabinet. This is personal information that is openly available to anyone within the organization or who visits an organization. Don't believe it? Take a walk around your office; make a mental note of what you see. Now, defend poor record management skills to the identity theft victim who will spend several thousands of dollars to correct our wrongs; but, just maybe their plight will motivate us to take action and be better stewards of our records.
Next issue: Computer Security: Restoring Your Identity- Best Practices
Yours in safety and health,
Liz Sanchez, MPS, COO
Blue Diamond Protection LLC
www.bluediamondprotection.com Blue Diamond Protection LLC • P.O. Box 4552 • Greenwood Village • Colorado • 80155 • 877-670-7676
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