How to Protect Your Privacy

Large data brokers have your numbers. Plenty of them. Including your Social Security, phone, and credit cards. They also often know about the drugs you take, the things you buy, your political party, and your sexual orientation. Unbiased Researchers who have investigated this secretive industry have discovered:

     -  Data brokers are willing to sell even your most sensitive information to paying customers,
        sometimes selling your info to crooks.

     -  When Researchers asked to see their own files, they received scant information. One report
        contained 31 errors.

     -  The federal government is a steady customer of the data collectors, but there’s no way to know what
        it collects or even exactly how much it pays.

     -  Pretexters, who lie to get information about you and sell it to anybody, operate almost completely
        free of regulation.
  
How You Can Protect Yourself

It is true you have no control over much of the data collection and sharing that occurs, but you can limit the amount of information circulating about you. By checking the accuracy of those records that you’re entitled to see you can spot signs of ID theft and fraud.


To Opt Out Of:

Telemarketing. Add your name to the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call registry by going to http://www.donotcall.gov or calling 888-382-1222.

Unwanted solicitations. Tell financial institutions, retailers, and Web sites not to share your information with other nonaffiliated companies. Contact the Direct Marketing Association at http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html; to cut down on unsolicited e-mail, http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumers/optoutform_emps.shtml.

Sales of your personal information to others. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse lists data brokers that offer limited opt-out options at http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/infobrokers.htm.


Keep your private information private:

Don’t completely fill warranty card surveys. It’s ok to give your name, address, and necessary product information - your warranty will be honored. Be careful with direct-mail surveys that don’t come from companies you already do business with.

Don’t provide sensitive information via phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or you’re sure that it’s from an organization you trust. If you have doubt, contact the organization.


Check what’s on file about you:

Order your free annual report from each of the major nationwide credit reporting companies once every 12months at www.annualcreditreport.com.

Request your files from the major data brokers: ChoicePoint at www.choicetrust.com and LexisNexis at http://www.lexisnexis.com/terms/privacy/data/obtain.asp. You can call Acxiom at 977-774-2094 or send e-mail to referencereport@acxiom.com.

Get medical information. If you’ve applied for individual health or life-insurance policies within the past seven years, the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) Group keeps data insurers use to help determine your rates. Get your report by calling MIB toll-free at 866-692-6901.