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Identity
theft is growing at alarming rates. Typically identity theft has
been more of a criminal concern than an intellectual property
concern, but stealing someone's identity is really akin to many
intellectual property violations. The nature of identity theft is
similar to infringement of the right
of publicity, and also similar to other intellectual
property wrongs in that what is being taken is not a tangible piece
of property, but information that is then used to deceive and fraud.
It is critical to realize, however, that there are things that you
can do to protect yourself, and your number 1 asset - your good name.
Like a trademark that has been damaged by scandal, repairing your
good name is not easy, so prevention is the key. For more on identity
theft see:
While identity theft is related in ways to hacking,
it is not necessarily strictly a hacking crime. As Earthlink and
PayPal have learned, identity theft can be accomplished through scams
and deceptions without any need for an intrusive computer invasion.
Both Earthlink and Pay Pal customers have had numerous e-mails sent
to them requesting that the company has experienced computer problems
and needs all of its customers to fill out a form. This technique is
what is known as "phishing." |
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By now virtually every financial institution has likewise been
targeted. The way it works is mass bogus e-mail forms are sent to
millions of e-mail addresses asking the customer for such sensitive
information, such as your password, credit card number, social
security information and more. You may have noticed from time to time
you receive these e-mails, which claim to be from financial
institutions that you have never used. That is, of course, a signal
that it is a phishing e-mail, but with so many people having accounts
online, it doesn't take much of a response rate to score big for the
scammers. The worst part is that these e-mails appear to come from
the company itself (although they do not). Because buying bulk e-mail
address is so cheap, and sending e-mails is free, phishing continues
to be a growing epidemic.
As greater numbers of people become familiar with and rely upon
Internet communications and electronic commerce we can only
anticipate that identity theft will continue to rise. The days are
not gone where identity
criminals will dive through dumpsters in search of credit
card bills and the like, but as criminals become more sophisticated
in the use of computers and the Internet we can expect to see growing
numbers of these bogus e-mails and other similar forms of electronic
deception. Nevertheless, it is still wise to take every precaution
possible to protect your own identity in the real world as well.
In order to protect your identity here are some simple suggestions:
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Do not respond to any e-mail that asks you for sensitive personal
information. Reputable companies are never going to ask you for your
username, password, credit card number, social security number or any
other sensitive information via e-mail.
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If you receive an e-mail from an institution where you have an
account saying that they need you to provide updated information, for
whatever reason, be suspicious. These e-mails will normally look
official and contain a link you can click on to provide the
information. You will be sent to a website that looks exactly like
the institution's website, but it will not be their website. When you
get such an e-mail contact the institution to verify the message is
real. Alternatively, simply go to the URL you normally use to log on
to your system and update your information. Do NOT follow the e-mail
links provided!
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When you are done using a website, such as a banking website, always
be sure to sign off or log out, as the case may be. You should also
close the browser window you were using.
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Do not use public computers to access an online account.
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Do not use the same username and password for all of your accounts.
If you use only one username and password, if your username and
password are compromised all of your accounts could be in jeopardy.
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Do not use "password" as your password. By now this is
something that most people know, and few institutions will even
permit. Nevertheless, many people still use "password" for
personal computer access or e-mail.
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Do not use a password that is easily associated with you. Those who
would steal your identity in the real world will likely know more
about than you suspect. Try and pick something unique, but memorable.
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Unless you absolutely have to, don't write your username and password
down, and do not keep them stored on your computer.
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Be sure to have your computer operating system set up to require a
password be entered at the welcome screen. This is essential if you
have a laptop, but also strongly recommended for desktops as well.
Also, for those with roommates, particularly in a college dorm, you
should also consider setting the operating system up so that when the
computer is inactive for a period of time it will become locked, once
again requiring a password at the welcome screen. This can be done
through the Screen Saver tab in the Display folder.
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Purchase a shredder and shred sensitive real world mail, credit card
checks you won't use and unsolicited credit card offers.
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Periodically check your credit reports to make sure that there is no
unauthorized activity. To do this you can visit Experian,
Equifax and TransUnion.
Everyone is also eligible to receive a free copy of their credit
report every 12 months. To do this, however, you must visit AnnualCreditReport.com.
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If you want to be extra cautious, you might find it useful to engage
the services of a company such as Life
Lock. Life Lock is a company I recently came across after
hearing a radio ad. They have a system in place that puts the credit
bureaus on notice that they should not authorize access to your
credit report without verification from you via telephone. They also
claim to be able to stop junk mail, including free credit card offers
(the source of a lot of real world identity theft). They have a $1
million guarantee, and the CEO publishes his Social Security Number
on the site, so he must think it works. The service costs about $10 a month.
Identity Theft Resources
FTC
Identity Theft Page - This site is maintained by the Federal
Trade Commission. The site is update often, with more information
added regularly as it becomes available. Information contained on
this FTC page includes government reports and Congressional
testimony, law enforcement updates, and links to other sites with
helpful information about identity theft.
Safeguard
your Social Security number - Protect yourself from identity
theft by keeping a tight rein on your Social Security number. Only a
few organizations have the right to demand it. Here's how to fend off
the rest.
Identity
Theft and Fraud - This page is maintained by the United
States Department of Justice. It contains information on what the DOJ
is doing to fight identity theft, what you can do to avoid identity
theft and what actions to take if you are the victim of identity theft.
When Someone Misuses
Your Number - by the Social Security Administration - When
someone misuses your number, it generally means they're pretending to
be you--they assume your identity. And when someone pretends to be
you, they can wreak havoc with your life.
Identity Theft Resources
- By Privacy Rights Clearinghouse - A comprehensive list of links to
identity theft information.
Fight
Identity Theft - The goal of Fight Identity Theft is to make
you more aware of the risks of identity theft and to present clear
steps you can take to protect yourself. In addition, I try to present
all of this information with a clean, crisp site design, navigation,
and writing style.
Identity Theft
Resource Center - ITRC is a nationwide organization dedicated
to developing and implementing a comprehensive program against
identity theft —by supporting victims, broadening public
awareness, disseminating information about this crime and decreasing
the potential victim population.
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