New Year's Resolutions: How To Protect Your Personal Data

The second half of 2007 was a busy year for me. First, I learned that IBM lost my personal data during a data breach. Then, I learned about identity theft and some of the ways to protect myself. Along the way, I started this blog and learned about fraud alerts, security freezes, and corporate data breaches.

Before compiling my list of New Year's resolutions, it seemed wise to list the activities and habits I have already started during 2007:

• I shred all snail mail that might be useful to identity thieves
• I check my Social Security Earnings Record at least once every year
• I keep the e-mail spam filter set on "High" at my Internet Service Provider
• When searching with Google.com in my Firefox web browser, I use McAfee SiteAdvisor to avoid dangerous sites
• Immediately after learning about IBM's data breach, I placed a Fraud Alert on my credit reports
• I checked my 3 credit reports: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax
• I checked my C.L.U.E. insurance report with Choice Trust
• I set up e-mail alerts with my two credit monitoring services to inform me if anyone attempts to access my credit reports
• I installed better anti-virus software protection on my laptop computer
• I stopped using my ATM debit card for purchases at retail stores, and use cash or a credit card
• I opted out of pre-screened credit and financial offers - both e-mail and snail-mail
• I went paperless with my online banking and set up alerts to notify me immediately
• I created stronger passwords for all of my sensitive online accounts

I feel really good about these accomplishments. You can read about them in prior posts. Just click on one of the topics in the right column or start with my first I've Been Mugged post.

Now that 2008 is here, I realize that there's more to do to better protect my personal data. I've learned so far that there's no single "silver bullet" solution to protect myself from identity theft and identity fraud. The tools and resources for consumers are constantly changing and evolving.

My list of identity protection resolutions for 2008:

• Place a security freeze on my credit reports
• Read "The Wall Street Journal Complete Identity Theft Guidebook" by Terri Cullen
• Continue to do business online only with companies I already know
• Always check both the Better Business Bureau and TRUSTe web sites before doing business with a company I don't know
• Check my Medical Information Bureau report
• Guard my health-care insurance card as carefully as I guard my credit cards and Social Security card
• Insist that the companies I do online business with offer secure sign-in pages (e.g., https://) and if they refuse switch to another company
• Research credit restoration companies to decide whether to keep my current service or switch to a better service
• Periodically, check the IBM data breach web site for any news or updates regarding their February 2007 data breach
• Change my online passwords every 3 months

What are your New Year's resolutions to protect your personal data?