Annually, we celebrate a day to remind people to safeguard their private personal information online and at home. Data Privacy Day, recognized Friday, Jan. 28, was that day. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation and no one is immune. Anyone can become a victim.
Identity theft is when someone obtains your personal information - such as your bank or credit card account numbers, information about your income, your Social Security number (SSN), or your name, address, and phone number - and uses it without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft. The Wisconsin Office of Privacy Protection (OPP) offers these identity theft prevention safeguards for consumers:
n Pay attention to Internet security. Install virus and spyware protection on your computer and make sure your Internet browser security settings are not too low.
n Shred, shred, shred. Shred unneeded bills, receipts, credit card offers and other items that contain personal or financial information like bank statements or canceled checks.
n Never give out personal information. Legitimate companies do not call or e-mail asking for personal information like account, credit card, or Social Security numbers. Do not give out that information unless you initiate the contact.
n More consumer information is available at: http://privacy.wi.gov/factsheets/pdf/IDTheftConsumerTips636.pdf.
We may not be able to stop the flow of personal information completely - trust me I have tried, but we can make people truly aware of the risks to their personal information and raise awareness for consumers. One of the primary goals of Data Privacy Day is to raise awareness and education across the U.S. In addition, it is a goal to help educate the public on how to be better guardians of their personal data.
Teenagers especially are not as careful as they should be with their personal information - they have never lived in a paper world - and they do not always understand that personal information on a computer can last forever. The largest number of personal profiles on the planet is stored on social networking sites and the biggest warehouse of personal images on the Internet is Facebook, with more than 500 million active users.
Be alert and be cautious. Take a receipt when you make a purchase; it will help you verify your purchase amount and keep the receipt out of the garbage at the store. Another simple way to ensure your financial information is secure is to read every credit card and bank statement. Make sure the purchases are yours and that any credits in were processed at the appropriate time.
Additionally, every consumer is entitled to one free credit report every year - don't pay for this service. Call one of the big three credit bureaus to request you free copy: Try Experian at 1 (866) 200-6020.
For additional information on personal privacy, contact my office at (608) 266-6670 or (888) 549-0027 or via e-mail at sen.erpenbach@legis.wi.gov.
- Sen. Jon Erpenbach represents Wisconsin's 27th Senate District.
Identity theft is when someone obtains your personal information - such as your bank or credit card account numbers, information about your income, your Social Security number (SSN), or your name, address, and phone number - and uses it without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft. The Wisconsin Office of Privacy Protection (OPP) offers these identity theft prevention safeguards for consumers:
n Pay attention to Internet security. Install virus and spyware protection on your computer and make sure your Internet browser security settings are not too low.
n Shred, shred, shred. Shred unneeded bills, receipts, credit card offers and other items that contain personal or financial information like bank statements or canceled checks.
n Never give out personal information. Legitimate companies do not call or e-mail asking for personal information like account, credit card, or Social Security numbers. Do not give out that information unless you initiate the contact.
n More consumer information is available at: http://privacy.wi.gov/factsheets/pdf/IDTheftConsumerTips636.pdf.
We may not be able to stop the flow of personal information completely - trust me I have tried, but we can make people truly aware of the risks to their personal information and raise awareness for consumers. One of the primary goals of Data Privacy Day is to raise awareness and education across the U.S. In addition, it is a goal to help educate the public on how to be better guardians of their personal data.
Teenagers especially are not as careful as they should be with their personal information - they have never lived in a paper world - and they do not always understand that personal information on a computer can last forever. The largest number of personal profiles on the planet is stored on social networking sites and the biggest warehouse of personal images on the Internet is Facebook, with more than 500 million active users.
Be alert and be cautious. Take a receipt when you make a purchase; it will help you verify your purchase amount and keep the receipt out of the garbage at the store. Another simple way to ensure your financial information is secure is to read every credit card and bank statement. Make sure the purchases are yours and that any credits in were processed at the appropriate time.
Additionally, every consumer is entitled to one free credit report every year - don't pay for this service. Call one of the big three credit bureaus to request you free copy: Try Experian at 1 (866) 200-6020.
For additional information on personal privacy, contact my office at (608) 266-6670 or (888) 549-0027 or via e-mail at sen.erpenbach@legis.wi.gov.
- Sen. Jon Erpenbach represents Wisconsin's 27th Senate District.
