Kroll Cyber Security Blog – A Dialogue on Data Security

The following are a few of the federal laws that apply to consumers. Some states have additional consumer rights laws that apply, so be sure employees understand these as well:

• Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act – Enacted in 1998, this act officially makes identity theft a federal crime.
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) – Regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer credit information. The FCRA establishes many consumer rights, including the right to a free credit report, and also defines the procedures for correcting fraudulent or inaccurate information on the report.

Going back to our April 30th blog post . . . Back when I was just starting to learn about id theft and protecting my PII, I applied for a Hollywood Video rental membership. The application asked for my Social Security number. I asked why they needed it; the clerk couldn’t tell me. I didn’t list it and I still obtained a membership. The store at which I applied is now closed and stories have appeared about the irresponsible disposable of the records by other stores. So, how happy am I now that I didn’t give that piece of PII on the application. I tell this to the students when we present the CSR program—be stingy with personal information.

Millions of people have an online presence through various social networking sites and other communication channels – the ease with which you can share and find information attracts a lot of consumers and businesses alike. Of course, this also attracts scammers and identity thieves. A business that engages consumers through social media channels will most likely have a social media policy for employees. In the same vein, consumers should develop their own social media policies. Setting rules and guidelines before going online is a deterrent to making mistakes that can divulge sensitive information or personal identifying information (PII).

A frequent comment that our Licensed Investigators hear is, “I don’t know how I became a victim of identity theft – I shred everything!”

While a good crosscut paper shredder is a very important tool in the disposal of personal identifying information (PII), the reality is there is no one-step practice to reducing the chance that you’ll become a victim. Similarly, although a regular review of your credit report for activity that you don’t recognize is another helpful tool, the vast majority of fraudulent activity – as much as 80 percent – will never appear on a credit report.