Defend your Data

Defend Your Data, Protect Your Identity (ARA) - The Information Age has produced extensive benefits for society. We can now shop online for everything from groceries to insurance policies. Students can instantly access a wealth of information that used to take weeks to find in the library, and banking is easier than ever. Unfortunately, criminals continue to find new ways to leverage technology, such as hacking into online databases and phishing in an effort to commit identity theft. Chances are good that either you or someone you know has fallen victim to what is now the fastest growing crime in America. The Javelin 2006 Identity Fraud Survey Report estimates that 28.3 million, or around 13 percent of adults in the U.S., have been targeted by identity thieves in the last three years. The National Crime Prevention Council deems the problem so significant that the focus of its Crime Prevention Month this October is "Crime Prevention in the Information Age." Its Web site www.ncpc.org offers resources addressing identity theft and how to prevent it. You can also find useful educational materials at the Federal Trade Commission Web site, www.ftc.gov, and Equifax's site at www.equifax.com. One of the most important steps you can take to prevent identity theft is to protect the valuable data that criminals seek. Here are some suggestions from the resources mentioned above: * Do not give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you have initiated the contact. Identity thieves will pose as bank representatives, Internet service providers, and even government officials to get you to reveal identifying information. * Guard your Social Security number. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible, and don't carry your SSN card. Be sure to keep it in a secure place. Do not put your Social Security number on your checks. * Minimize the identification information and the number of cards you carry. Take only what you will need. * Safeguard personal information in your home, especially if you are having service work done in your home, employ outside help, or have a roommate. * Protect your mail. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after it's delivered. If you plan to go away, contact the U.S. Postal Service and request a vacation hold. * Shred all documents you are discarding, including pre-approved credit applications received in your name, insurance forms, bank checks and statements, and other financial information. You can also take advantage of some high-tech ways to fight identity theft. Consider monitoring your credit file for potentially fraudulent activity by signing up for one of Equifax's Credit Watch programs. Take steps to detect identity theft early - which helps minimize its impact - for only $4.95 a month to $12.95 a month depending on the features you select. To learn more about the tools Equifax offers to help protect people from identity theft, log on to www.equifax.com. Courtesy of ARA Content