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"Along Those Lines"
5/31/2002 - Archive
Avoiding the Theft of Your Identity
The recent Joint Resolution and Petition from the Federation of Genealogical
Societies and the National Genealogical Society states that, "According to the
First Amendment Coalition, recent studies confirm that most identity thefts
occur through the literal theft by friends, relatives, fellow workers or strangers,
of wallets, purses or mail, or fraudulent address changes."
It can also happen if people are sloppy. Some people are sloppy about their
own genealogical data, and some are sloppy and inconsiderate about protecting
that of others. However, the truth is actually worse than that. Anyone can find
out just about anything about you if they want to and if they try hard enough.
Now, I don't want to receive a lot of hate mail this week. I'm just stating
facts, and I offer this week's "Along Those Lines . . ." column for your consideration
and your thoughtful discussion with your family and friends. I hope you'll take
a hard look at your genealogical methods and practices and weigh them against
some of the basic ways that identity theft can occur.
Ways To Protect Yourself and Your Family's Data
The attentive citizen will take the time to assess his or her vulnerability
to identity theft and/or fraud. Here are the most important ways to protect
your identity and the information about other family members.
Change Your Secret Question and/or Answer - Anyone wishing to learn a
woman's mother's maiden name can easily find that at the courthouse by accessing
a marriage record. If someone knows where you went to school, they can request
a transcript of your records or, even easier, go look at the yearbooks in the
library. Many companies recognize that the old question about your mother's
maiden name can be an Achilles heel for security. Some are offering alternate
questions, such as "What was your first pet's name?" or some other question.
I have taken the initiative to contact banks and other entities using the 'maiden
name' question and have asked for another question. Those that don't have an
alternative question have, on presentation of proper identity, all allowed me
to change the maiden name to another name I chose. (It's the combination of
two maiden names of other, much older generations, and it would take a Cray
supercomputer to crack the code, I suspect.)
Always Privatize the Files You Share with Others - Most of us share computer
files with other researchers. If you create GEDCOM files and upload them to
websites for inclusion in a place like the Ancestry World Tree, WorldConnect,
and other locations, you are urged to use your program's 'privatize' facility
to prevent inclusion of information about living people. Typically, living persons'
names, their dates, and all other details are excluded--or some generic comment
about LIVING is substituted.
Maintain Two Databases or Consider Excluding Living People From Your Database
- A friend of mine has been using the Family Tree Maker software for more
than a decade. He actually maintains two files: one includes the current and
previous generations of his family in which there are living persons; the other
includes all the deceased ancestors and their lines. He works with each file
separately, which requires him to group materials and plan his data entry work
a little more carefully. When he wants to combine the data to produce reports,
he simply creates a backup version of each file with different names, and then
merges them together. When he wants to share information with others or upload
a GEDCOM to a website database, he only shares what he calls "the dead people's
file." If someone contacts him for the living generations, he qualifies the
person before he shares any data.
Exercise Confidentiality with Others and Demand It of Them - Citing a
source in your notes that indicates that a piece of evidence came from "E-mail
received from Mary Lou Jones at maryl@superdupernet.com on 11 July 1999" may
look good, but it may not take you out of legal harm's way if your own file
contains data provided by someone else. The fact that you acted as a conduit
for some piece of data used by a person who used it to create a fraudulent identity
used in the commission of a criminal act MIGHT just make you an accessory before
the fact. Ouch! (I don't want to work on my genealogy from the state prison.)
You Might Consider What I Know Severak Genealogists Have Done - Don't
share information on a living individual without obtaining a signed document
from the intended recipient agreeing not to share the data in any way with anyone
without your prior written permission. An e- mail to that effect has little
force in a court of law, but a signed agreement does. As for yourself, I suggest
that you use caution and consideration when using any data received from another
researcher.
Store Important Documents in a Secure Place - This applies not only to
your current identity and financial materials, but also to those genealogical
documents which might provide a path to a house burglar to other records --
even to creating an identity.
Never Carry Original Identity Materials with You If You Don't Have To
- Yes, you'll need your driver's license to drive, but you sure don't need your
Social Security card. How often have you ever used it? Typically you only need
it when applying for a job or when opening a financial account where taxes will
be reported. In fact, it is against the law in many states for a retailer to
ask for a SSN as a form of identification for a check. Your voter registration
card is probably only used for identification at the polls on election day.
There's no need to carry these items with you. If you feel you must have these
items with you, at least carry only a photocopy. Leave the original in a safe
place at home or in the safe deposit box at the bank.
Prepare a List of All Your Credit Cards and Identification Documents -
If you've ever lost your wallet or purse and had to locate all the information
that needed to be replaced or credit cards cancelled, you know how important
this little piece of advance work can be. Prepare a list of institution or organization,
a descriptor of the item from them, the number/expiration date, and a local
or toll-free telephone number. Make two copies of the document. One should be
stored in a secure place at home where you can quickly locate it. Another copy
should be stored in a safe deposit box. Keep it updated. Don't forget driver's
license, passport, birth certificate, visas, and other items.
Request a Credit Report At Least Annually - The fastest way to catch
fraudulent financial activity is to request a credit report at least once a
year. The report helps you keep tabs on your credit status, it identifies any
discrepancies caused be errors in reporting or fraudulent activity.
What To Do If You Become a Victim
Identity theft became a federal crime in 1998, and forty-seven states have since
passed their own anti-identity theft legislation to protect their citizens.
If you become aware of an attempt to use your identity or your resources for
any purpose whatsoever, immediately report it to the police. The local police
will help decide who at the state or federal level might need to be called in.
You want to limit your personal liability for any damages, and you also want
to be able to provide all the information you can to stop the fraudulent activity.
The best deterrent is, of course, preventative action. I am a proponent of sharing
genealogical information with others, but I also know there are risks associated
with that. Some people have blatantly 'stolen' data I uploaded as a GEDCOM file
and are passing it off as their own. A few have also posted information on living
members of their own families in addition to the information I had privatized.
Thank goodness that I paid attention to that detail because they sure don't
care.
Be thoughtful and responsible. Consider the content of your data before you
share it, and privatize it to protect yourself and other family members. And
be mindful of the data you share on all levels. You really CAN prevent yourself
from become a victim of identity theft.
Happy Hunting!
George
George G. Morgan would like to hear from you at atl@ahaseminars.com
but, due to the volume of e-mail received, he is unable to answer every e-mail
message received. Please note that he cannot assist you with your individual
research. Visit George's website at: http://ahaseminars.com/atl
for information about speaking engagements.
Copyright 2002, MyFamily.com. All rights reserved.
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