Top 11 Tips For Protecting Personal Data

The Federal Trade Commission estimates that more than 9 million Americans fall victim to identity fraud each year. Identity theft can cost a consumer thousands of dollars and severely damage their credit report. In honor of Data Privacy Day, Cintas Corp. and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) issued a list of top 11 data protection tips to help consumers avoid identity theft.

“Identity theft is a serious issue and anyone who doesn’t take precaution is putting themselves at risk of becoming the next victim,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. “Being aware and proactively protecting yourself from identity theft is much easier than cleaning up the pieces after being exploited.”

The top 11 tips to protect personal information include:

1. Shred all documents containing confidential information. A home office strip shredder may not fully protect you. Identity thieves can simply use tape to put the pieces back together or reconstruct your documents using software. Instead, consider using a secure document management provider to shred all documents and files. Ensure your provider is AAA NAID Certified and PCI DSS compliant. These organizations verify adherence to stringent security practices and standards defined by the specialists in the information destruction industry.

2. Guard your Social Security card. Your Social Security number is the gateway to your identity. Never carry it in your wallet. Also, check to see if your number is printed on any other cards you routinely carry with you.

3. Routinely monitor accounts online. Monitoring accounts on a regular basis enables you to notice suspicious or irregular activity before receiving your statements or bills in the mail.

4. Keep personal information private. Secure your personal data at work and educate yourself on your company’s personal information policies. Keep your information private at home as well, especially if you have roommates or employ outside help.

5. Suggest a “shred-all” policy at work. Many companies are now implementing shred-all policies in the work environment to protect confidential business and personal information. Organizations can implement a program by partnering with a secure document management provider. The right provider will place secure, locked bins throughout a facility for easy accessibility. Employees can drop business and personal documents that need to be destroyed in the certified bins. A provider will visit the facility on a routine basis to securely remove, destroy and recycle the documents.

6. Check credit reports regularly. The three major credit bureaus offer annual free credit reports. Space out your free reports to monitor your credit activity throughout the year. Visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com to learn more information and request a free report.

7. Use unique passwords. Avoid using obvious passwords, such as a birth date, maiden name or Social Security number.

8. Practice safe online habits. Social networking sites often contain outside links and applications that ask for personal information. Use caution when revealing any information on such links or Web sites sent from unsolicited emails. Keep firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-virus software up to date on your computer.

9. Protect personal information while on vacation. Keep track of items in your wallet or purse and be sure you return from vacation with everything you left with. Prepare for the worst by copying the front and back of all credit cards and placing the copy in a safe place. This way, you’ll have the name of the issuer, account number and customer service number at your fingertips. Prior to leaving, keep personal plans to yourself or a limited number of friends. Broadcasting travel plans and the dates you will be away through social networks gives identity thieves an opportunity to search your information.

10. Explain cautions to children. Children may not realize the risk of revealing personal information on social media sites such as Facebook.

11. Use a secure mailbox. Make sure your mailbox is approved by the United States Post Office. Another secure option is to mail items directly from a post office location. Also, never clip outgoing mail to your mailbox and always have new checks delivered to a post office box or the bank.

 

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”