Protecting Our Identity

Monday, January 8th 2007, 10:18 am

By: News On 6

A Tulsa business is trying to explain why hundreds of documents with sensitive information on them, were blowing around in the wind this weekend. The paperwork had been tossed into a dumpster and contained social security numbers and financial data.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright explains how you can protect yourself. The business told Tulsa Police the cleaning crew mistakenly threw away trash that had not yet been shredded. Had a Good Samaritan not seen the paperwork and called police, this could've been devastating for many people.

We all need to make sure when we throw out the trash; we're not trashing our identity. The first of the year is a popular time for businesses and people to clean out their old files. This is not the way to do that, paper tossed into a dumpster then spread by the wind into shrubs and all over the busy intersection of 91st and Yale.

Tulsa Police officer Gina Scuderi-Cook: "people are not happy their personal information is blowing in the wind."

Your personal information is a commodity, as valuable as cash to people with bad intentions. They can take a little of your information and make your life miserable, in lots of ways, very quickly. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America and one reason is because people make it easy for the criminals.

Many folks don't do the basic things to protect themselves. That starts with being smart when taking out the trash. Tulsa Police Sgt. Mark Mackenzie: "It's still amazing how many people will throw a document in the trash, they don't even tear it up. We need to create whatever levels we can to protect ourselves and shredding is best."

Another step is understanding we must balance our desire for convenience with our need for security. "There are two types of people. Those who are outraged that they have to slow down and show their identity until they're compromised, then, they're outraged nobody asked for their ID."

There are three basic things we should all do to protect our identity. Mail your bills at a blue US Post Office box or the post office, never from your house. Shred all old documents and pre-approved credit card offers. Use a credit card, not your debit card in places like restaurants where the card is out of your sight. If they steal your number or duplicate your card, you don't want your checking account tied up while the bank figures out the problem.