Comments on: How safe is our personal data? http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/062008/how-safe-is-our-personal-data.html Welcome to The Thrifty Scot financial help site. Look through our credit cards, loans, mortgages, savings and insurance sections Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:59:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Julian Evans http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/062008/how-safe-is-our-personal-data.html/comment-page-1/#comment-1423 Julian Evans Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:46:48 +0000 http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/?p=2987#comment-1423 This is a tough question. Realistically people should "opt-out" of sharing their information as the first port of call. You'd be surprised at how many people don't untick or tick a box (depends on how the statement is written - double negative comes into play to catch the less intelligent of us). Another tactic used is one by insurers. They ask you over the phone whether you object to your information being forwarded to "relevant fraud protection agencies". When I asked recently who these were I wasn't surprised to learn that they did'nt know where the information was going! I roughly knew where - but aside I said "no" to this offer!!! Other areas in which your personal information can be controlled are on social community websites as well as blogs. So becareful what you write and and where you write it - are useful tips to start with. People are now becoming naturally "open" which in the long term may come back to bite them! On the issue of govt data - this one is out of our control but you can place "fraud alerts" on your credit file (which will make it harder for someone to steal your identity), stop junk mail, hide your IP address (computer postal code) and more... Has anyone heard where the HMRC discs have disappeared to? No is the answer - and we want to trust the govt with our data? It is up to people to protect themselves. Visit www.id-theftprotect.com for FREE advice on how to protect yourself. UK, identity theft expert Julian This is a tough question. Realistically people should “opt-out” of sharing their information as the first port of call. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t untick or tick a box (depends on how the statement is written – double negative comes into play to catch the less intelligent of us). Another tactic used is one by insurers. They ask you over the phone whether you object to your information being forwarded to “relevant fraud protection agencies”. When I asked recently who these were I wasn’t surprised to learn that they did’nt know where the information was going! I roughly knew where – but aside I said “no” to this offer!!!

Other areas in which your personal information can be controlled are on social community websites as well as blogs. So becareful what you write and and where you write it – are useful tips to start with. People are now becoming naturally “open” which in the long term may come back to bite them!

On the issue of govt data – this one is out of our control but you can place “fraud alerts” on your credit file (which will make it harder for someone to steal your identity), stop junk mail, hide your IP address (computer postal code) and more…

Has anyone heard where the HMRC discs have disappeared to? No is the answer – and we want to trust the govt with our data? It is up to people to protect themselves. Visit http://www.id-theftprotect.com for FREE advice on how to protect yourself.

UK, identity theft expert
Julian

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