Steps for Businesses to Keep Private Information Safe

While people are taking some steps to prevent from becoming a victim of identity theft, they are not the only ones at risk. The idea of stealing the identity of a business is also growing. It is important for all businesses to take steps to protect their identity. If a criminal gets their hands on the identity of a business, it can cause a lot of problems. There are three ways that a business can prevent someone from stealing their identity.

1. Make sure to safeguard all business documents

   The list of documents that a thief can take advantage of is very long. It also comes in many different forms. A business need to find ways to secure all of their documents so that they do not fall into the wrong hands. Some ways to prevent identity theft include the following:

   • Shredding documents that contain any personal, business, or private information. A special container should be placed in the office and all paperwork should be placed into this bin so that it can be shredded. When paperwork is no longer needed, it should be disposed of properly.

   • Keeping all electronic information secure. Much of the information that could open up a business to business identity theft is stored on computers. Passwords should be used and changed on a regular basis. All employees should be told to log off their computers and shut them down when they are not in use.

   Computers also need to be checked on a regular basis for any software or hardware that could be used to steal information from a business. A key logger program that is inadvertently downloaded to a business computer may allow a thief to get their hands on a lot of private information. An identity monitor can help prevent someone from accessing a business’s computer and prevent them from tampering with it.

2. Watch the business credit cards

   It is common for businesses to issue credit cards for their employees to use. It is also very common for businesses to have a credit card that allows them to purchase things they need. A smart business owner will make sure that they are paying attention to the activity that occurs on these credit cards. They also should make sure they monitor the business credit report for any credit cards that have been opened without the knowledge of the business owner.

3. Keep business and personal separate

   Smaller business owners often do not separate their business lives from their personal lives. This is never a good idea. A business should have control its own identity. The online activities of a business should be related to the business only. If someone wants to reach out to the personal life of an employee or a business owner, they should do that away from the business. This separation makes it easier to pay attention to what is going on in both your business and your personal life.

   Identity theft is a problem that may affect individuals and businesses. While the risks that a business might face from identity thieves may be somewhat different, there are also many similarities. The ways in which a business might be protected from identity theft and the protection from personal identity theft have many similarities.

   The key is to pay attention to what is going on in your business at all times. You have to monitor the way that information is being shared in a business just as you monitor how information is shared in your private life. The tools are available, but they only work if an effort is made to use them. As long as a business makes it harder for an identity thief to take advantage of them, the less likely they are to become a victim. Identity theft is often a crime of opportunity. Take away that opportunity and the thieves will go looking elsewhere for an easier target.

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