Home > Offices > New York, NY > Articles > Ten Tips to Prevent Identity Theft

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.