6 Ways to Prevent Workplace ID Theft
Inadequate security and poor business practices can expose your business to liability suits, fines and loss of customers. Here are six issues to consider when evaluating the security of important information.
1. Smart information gathering.When you ask for customer and employee information (e.g., date of birth, Social Security number), do so in such a way so that you cannot be heard or seen by unauthorized people. Create a “safe” spot for interview and forms completion by customers and employees.
2. Safe information storage.Keep the information you’ve gathered safe. For example, employee records should not be available for casual access. Think like government intelligence agencies and mark as “classified” all files – paper and computer – that need to be kept private.
Use firewalls and other security measures to safeguard computer information. Identity thieves are now targeting company data bases as a way to obtain numerous identities in a single breach.
3. Limited access to information.Which of your employees should be authorized to read customer and employee files?
Use password protection for computer access. Tell only authorized employees the password. Change the password often – weekly, monthly or at some other convenient interval.
4. Proper disposal of data.Your garbage is an identity thief’s treasure, so dispose of old files and papers smartly. Use cross-cut shredders to effectively destroy sensitive information.
5. Careful use of information.Review your policies that entail usage of employee Social Security numbers. You may, for example, be using these numbers on timecard, computer access codes and medical cards.
Check with your insurance carrier to change IDs on medical cards so that Social Security numbers are not used. Some insurers have already taken this step, but those that have not may be willing to comply with your wishes.
6. Careful supervision of personnel.Make sure that your employees are not trying to access sensitive information. Watch over temporary workers and independent contractors to ensure that the security of protected information is not being breached.
Do careful background checks when hiring any new employee to make sure, among other things, that there is no criminal history of identity theft.
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