Identity theft is in the news on a daily basis. In fact, this year alone, millions of Americans will deal with identity theft on some level. Protecting your personal information, including date of birth, social security numbers and otherwise are more important than ever, as each provide a piece of a puzzle that when complete, give criminals the opportunity to tap into your available credit, savings and all available resources.
So what do you do when you need to provide this information to a trusted advisor? Throughout the course of business, divorce proceedings or other situations, there are many times when people need to share important personal information. These can include tax returns, driver’s license numbers and many other sensitive documents. Knowing what we know today, what is the best approach to securing personal information?
Although it’s tempting to email requested documents to save time, you may want to reconsider. Email is the least secure method of sharing information digitally. Although it is possible to encrypt a message, the recipient needs to know the password in order to decrypt the message. In addition, once decrypted, the message can be shared freely and downloaded at will without your knowledge of who is sharing or receiving the information.
There are many other methods of getting information to your trusted advisor, including USB drives, personal file sharing services, fax and U.S. Mail. The reality is that all are good, but none are without risk. When it comes down to it, each of us have to consider our comfort level with this risk and make the best decision personally.
Here are a few tips to consider the next time you’re in the position of having to share your personal information:
If you feel uncomfortable with the level of personal information that you’re being asked to provide in any situation, consult your legal advisor who can help.