| Technology today has made our world much smaller, | | | | any documents that you do not need any longer |
| and has given us amazing tools such as the Internet, | | | | instead of just tossing the paperwork into the trash. |
| high speed Personal Computers [ PC's ] and medical | | | | Identity thieves will also try to dupe you into giving |
| technology that we could only dream about no so | | | | personal information either in person, over the phone or |
| very long ago. | | | | by using fraudulent official sounding e-mails. And of |
| With the good comes the bad. Many today have their | | | | course, today's personal computers can hold plenty of |
| privacy invaded by unscrupulous groups and individuals | | | | information useful to fraudsters. It is very important that |
| in our society intent on obtaining personal information | | | | we use proper firewalls, use reliable and up to date |
| by whatever means. These thieves have the tenacity | | | | anti-virus software and programs that can identify and |
| to use the very technology that has been truly | | | | weed out spam, trojans or other mal-ware. |
| beneficial to everyone and use it against the | | | | It is in your best interest to be wary. Be suspicious of |
| unsuspecting public. The identity thieves trick the | | | | anyone seeking too much personal information, and |
| unsuspecting public and gain this personal information | | | | don't be afraid to challenge them by asking "why do |
| via such methods as hacking personal files on the | | | | you need those details?" - a legitimate enquirer won't |
| Internet and using rouses like spam and other tricky | | | | mind you asking. Make sure you store all important |
| techniques such as phishing to steal your identity. | | | | documents and details, such as your birth certificate, |
| Understanding how the unscrupulous obtain this private | | | | national insurance number, receipts and bank |
| information help us to look at ways to make it harder | | | | statements, in a safe place. |
| for these low-lives to play their game. | | | | As mentioned earlier, anything containing personal |
| Thieves can use even the most mundane of personal | | | | information that you intend to throw out should be |
| details to help them "verify" that they are someone | | | | destroyed before it is put in the trash bin. Using a |
| they aren't. One of the most common ways of | | | | household paper shredder is not taking things too far. If |
| obtaining personal details is "trash bin raiding". This | | | | you think you have become the victim of an identity |
| tactic is surprisingly common in affluent areas and is | | | | thief, report it to the police, local authority and relevant |
| spreading out of towns to the countryside; with 75% | | | | government departments or companies immediately. |
| of local authorities now admitting it happens regularly in | | | | We should also keep personal information stored on |
| their jurisdiction. | | | | computers in "encrypted" folders. Encryption scrambles |
| An exercise carried out with the support of the English | | | | the contents of your chosen folder so it cannot be |
| Nottingham City Council and Nottingham Shire Police | | | | read by anyone else. You can "unscramble" the |
| analyzed the contents of hundreds of household bins | | | | contents using a password. Many well-known |
| to see what people were throwing away. It found that | | | | software companies offer free downloads to help you |
| a whopping 86% of domestic rubbish contained | | | | with encryption, or encryption can be an option under |
| information helpful to fraudsters. | | | | your standard operating system. |
| Three quarters of the bins that were checked | | | | Making sure that all our private information is kept from |
| contained the full name and address of at least one | | | | roaming eyes may not sound too hard to do. But there |
| person from the household, while 20% of trash bins | | | | are many people who are aware of this problem, |
| contained a bank account number and other data that | | | | know how to protect their data, but either through |
| could be linked to the name and address of a person | | | | neglect, laziness or just not taking the time to do what |
| from the house. | | | | is suggested, are sitting ducks for the personal data |
| So don't keep all of your bills, receipts and other | | | | thieves. |
| personal documents in an obvious place and if you can | | | | Please....don't let you or anyone in your family be that |
| lock it away, do so… If you don't have | | | | person. Thoughts and intensions are great but without |
| anywhere to lock it, try and keep it somewhere out of | | | | action there is no accomplishment. Put these |
| the way, or separate it out. | | | | recommendations into effect today! |
| Consider investing in a good paper shredder! Shred | | | | |