Internal Controls Office

Have you taken the Training session on Safeguarding Non-Public Financial Information?
blueline

Well, you should!

Check out my 20 recommendations for safeguarding covered data…

Safeguarding Non-Public Financial Information Recommendations:

Remove your personal information from personal profile websites such as MySpace and Facebook.
Review privacy choices for your personal information and consider having financial institutions not share your personal information.
Never give personal information over the telephone and avoid confirming information to a stranger on the telephone, such as your social security number, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, credit card number or bank PIN number, unless you initiated the phone call.
Never give your social security number (SSN) to people or companies you do not know.
Do not write your social security number (SSN) or credit card number on checks.
Do not leave your backpack, laptop computer, briefcase, purse or wallet unattended when away from home.
Lock up your personal property at work in a locked desk drawer or filing cabinet.
Never leave your personal property unattended at the campus library or classroom.
Shred pre-approved credit card applications, credit card receipts, bills and other financial information you don’t want rather than discarding them in the trash or recycling bin.
Do not carry extra credit cards, your birth certificate or passport, social security card in your wallet or purse, except when necessary.
Create unique passwords and (Personal Identification Number) PIN #’s by avoiding easily available data such as date of birth or last four digits of your social security number.
Never leave receipts at bank machines, bank counters, trash bins or unattended gasoline pumps.
Sign new credit cards upon receipt with “Photo ID required”. Then test how many times cashiers ask for your photo ID.
Save all credit card receipts and match them against your monthly bills.
Notify your credit card companies and financial institutions in advance of any changes of address or phone number.
Report all lost or stolen credit cards immediately. (ASAP)
Beware of mail or email or telephone solicitations disguised as promotions offering instant prizes designed solely to obtain your personal information or credit card numbers.
Use a secure browser software that encrypts the information you send over the Internet to protect the security of your personal information as it is transmitted. When submitting your information, look for the ‘lock’ icon on the browser’s status bar and “https” in the URL address for a site, to be sure your information is secure during transmission.
When you subscribe to an online service, you may be asked to give credit card information. When you enter any interactive service site, beware of individuals who may ask you to confirm your enrollment service by disclosing passwords or credit card number used to subscribe. Reputable Internet service providers (ISP) will not request this information.
Remove your name from mailing lists and phone lists. Go to http://www.asc.state.al.us/InvestorED/RemoveFromMailList-DMA.htm