trendz - our client newsletter

may 2007

identity crime a concern for businesses too

Recent focus on identity theft in New Zealand and worldwide has highlighted the need for organisations to ensure that they have secure practices in relation to the storage and destruction of personal and business information and is a timely reminder that your workplace practices should be regularly reviewed.

There are a number of steps that a business can take to reduce the risk of identity fraud in and around the workplace, including:

• Destroy all documents such as bank account or credit card statements and bills before throwing them out. A shredder is ideal.
• Any document containing the personal information of an employee or client should be destroyed before disposal.
• Use virus protection software, install a firewall or password to protect personal computer documents
• Ensure all data is wiped (not just deleted) from a PC before selling it or giving it away.
• Keep passwords and pin numbers safe. Do not use obvious, easy-to-discover pins of passwords or leave a written record of them in an easily discoverable place.
• Check bank account and credit card statement for unauthorised transactions.
• Ensure employees are aware of security measures that need to be taken – for example, how to deal with spam emails, and not to provide any customer details by phone or email to unknown persons.
• Ensure your business and your employees are compliant with the Privacy Act 1993, including the requirement to do everything reasonably in your power to prevent unauthorised use or disclosure of information. The degree of protection will depend on the nature of the information you keep, so it’s useful to do a Privacy Impact Assessment. See www.privacy.org.nz or contact us for more details.

If you believe your business has become a victim of identity crime, report the matter to the police.

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Disclaimer: This article is necessarily brief and general in nature. You should seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters dealt with in this publication. Please refer to our Legal Notices.

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