by Dave Moore, 3-15-2020
Last week’s column covered steps one through seven in identity theft prevention. We continue the list this week, starting with step eight.
8. Get a cross-cut shredder and use it. Do not put anything in the trash that can be connected to you unless it is shredded.
9. Do not give personal information to anyone who does not actually need it, including store purchases, savings cards, restaurants, etc., no matter what they say or how loudly they insist they have to have it. No store needs your zip code unless they are mailing you something, and they do not need your phone number unless they are calling you. Give them “alternate” numbers like 555-1212 or 12345 if they get belligerent, or, simply shop somewhere else.
You do not want your personal information ending up in poorly-protected databases to be stolen by hackers or sold for marketing purposes. This is especially true of steps 10 and 11, Social Security number and driver’s license data.
10. Do not give your Social Security Number to anyone other than the IRS, Federal Medicare Programs, the Social Security Administration, or other federal government benefit programs such as the Veteran’s Administration. Doctors, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and other health care providers do not need your SSN, and you are not legally obligated to give it to them, no matter what they say. If you need health care, that’s why you have an insurance card to show them. Leave SSN fields on forms blank. If they say they have to fill in a form, tell them to use all zeroes.
11. Stop letting businesses scan the barcodes on the back of your driver’s license. There is absolutely no legal requirement that you allow the checkout clerk at any store to scan your ID in order for you to buy anything. They may be required to confirm your age, but that can be accomplished simply by looking at the ID. In Oklahoma, you are allowed put a sticker over the barcodes to prevent scanning. I keep my ID in a clear sleeve that covers up the bar codes. The only time it comes out of the sleeve is for law enforcement. This is perfectly legal, as long as you do not alter any information on the license. If a store’s policy demands scanning, go shop somewhere else.
12. Change the password on your home wireless network router to something very strong. If you do not know how to do that, find someone who does to help you. Use WPA2-PSK or WPA2-Personal encryption only. Disable Guest wifi. Change the admin account password on the router, also.
13. Change the DNS (Domain Name System) servers that your devices use. DNS, a behind-the-scenes technology we all use, translates human-friendly website addresses (like google.com) into computer-friendly IP addresses (like 64.233. 191.255), which is what the Internet uses to get us from one place to the next. Changing DNS servers away from the ones given to you by your Internet Service Provider (Cox, AT&T, etc.) can make your network faster and more secure. One of the best is called OpenDNS. Visit https://www.opendns.com/setupguide/ to get started. Get help if need be.
14. Debit cards should never be used for anything. If you have a debit card, cut it in half, send it back to the bank and cancel the debit card. If you are going to pay with plastic, use credit cards, instead. With credit cards, you have time to seek recourse if something goes wrong. With debit cards, the money is removed from your bank account immediately, which, if the card is stolen or hacked, can be disastrous if you need to pay bills, etc.
15. Do not install unnecessary apps on your phone. If you simply must have a banking app on your phone, make sure money transfer services like Zelle are disabled. If your bank cannot do that, uninstall the app. Tell your bank to disable Zelle and all other money transfer services associated with your account. Otherwise, go bank somewhere else.
16. The best advice is to stop using your cell phone for online banking, bill paying and shopping. Phones are the least secure devices we own. Only do banking, bill paying and shopping at home, on a full-featured computer (not a phone or tablet) on your private home network.
To be continued next week with Scams and Identity Theft, Part Five: Damage Control & Recovery.
Dave Moore has been fixing computers in Oklahoma since 1984. Founder of the non-profit Internet Safety Group Ltd., he also teaches Internet safety community training workshops. He can be reached at 405-919-9901 or www.internetsafetygroup.com