Consumers question safety of personal information

A recent study points out a common problem, people say that security of their private info is important and that they know the risks to their privacy, but their actions tell a different story.  Ever had your social security number used as an ID number?  Yeah, who’s great idea was that?

Eighty-three percent of adults in the March 2008 survey agree that ensuring the security of their personal information is a top priority. Seventy-seven percent believe they know how to properly protect their personal information, while about half (51 percent) believe they are at low risk for their personal information to be used without their permission. However, the survey’s review of 12 everyday activities reveals a startling lack of awareness over how seemingly innocuous activities, such as entering a sweepstakes or filling out a warranty card, can actually compromise the security of personal information, including a person’s name, contact details, income and credit history. In fact, more than half of U.S. adults are not aware of the risks associated with ten of the 12 potentially harmful activities – indicating a significant gap in understanding what could put people at risk for the unauthorized usage or sharing of their personal information, which can lead to greater junk mail volume, increased profiling without consent, and greater exposure to identity theft.

They define some risky behaviors as “..applying for a credit card in a retail store, applying for a bank loan or home mortgage, signing up for a supermarket discount card, donating to political campaigns, requesting information about a product/service seen online, providing personal information to a web site without reviewing its privacy policy, and enrolling in a rewards program, such as frequent flyer or hotel points programs. Non-marketing activities that increase risk, such as having a baby or getting married, were also included in the survey.“  I’ve had this just by buying a house, the data becomes “public record”, which is scary.  Outside of that, if you buy something, please don’t complete and return the warranty or product registration card.