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Ten Tips to Prevent Identity Theft

The following are ten tips for companies seeking to avoid incidences of identity theft as well as civil liability for such incidences:

1. Establish an identity theft prevention policy:

• Publish guidelines specifying how documents containing sensitive information are to be handled and transmitted;

2. Train staff on security issues related to the handling of both employee and customer information;

3. Conduct initial background checks on all employees who have access to personal information;

4. Require third-party vendors and staffing agencies to screen employees who handle personal information;

5. Do not use Social Security numbers:

• As employee identification numbers,
• On employee identification cards,
• On time sheets, and
• On paychecks;

6. Establish a company policy for  trash management;

7. Educate employees on the crime of identity theft;

8. Implement a secure protection system for storing personal data;

9. Restrict computer access of employees who are to be terminated;

10. Consider insurance to cover losses caused by the inadvertent release of personal data.