This "PII Chart" graph from the team at Identity Theft 911 is an imaginative look at how to guard your identity as though it were a treasured family heirloom recipe.
PII - the standard acronym for what security experts and online advertising companies call "personally identifiable information" - could lead to identity theft, fraud, and related scams if the details fell into the wrong hands.
That's why Identity Theft 911 also suggests trimming unnecessary data - for example, delete unneeded data on your smartphone (including "forgotten password" reset messages); disable geotagging for photos; purge old files from your laptop; and treat your identity as an asset - as valuable as cash in hand.
Don't let thieves take a bite out of your PII
- · Spend a few moments reviewing our tips for protecting your identity. Be sure to share them with your family, as well.
- · Trim the amount of data you keep out there to reduce risk. Delete unneeded data on your smartphone (including "forgotten password" reset messages). Purge old files from your laptop. And if your smartphone is still geotagging photos (sometimes a default setting), consider disabling the feature. Photos are part of your PII, too.
- · Treat your identity is an asset-as valuable as cash in hand. And it's easily compromised through theft or a data breach. Your identity should be nurtured, managed and properly protected like a treasured family heirloom recipe.
No one is immune to identity theft, but sticking to the recipe and preparing yourself before it happens is the best defense. As the definition of identity evolves to include our online personas, photographic images, medical and employee records, and more, you'll need to periodically adjust your personal recipe to taste (and a changing lifestyle). After all, keeping your finger in the PII is the best way to make sure your identity always is in apple pie order.
Source: Identity Theft 911 blog (http://s.tt/166BZ)