Charles Shiflett Column May 30, 2004

Protecting Your Privacy

Several weeks ago my column focused on how easy it is for companies and individuals to uncover
detailed private information about ordinary citizens. I received more comments about this piece than
anything I've written, with many asking me to do a column outlining ways to safeguard privacy.

So instead of political or social commentary, here's a quick overview of steps you can take to make
yourself a little less visible. Some of these suggestions may seem a little paranoid, but with today's
computer technology, stray bits of information about you can be combined from multiple sources to
paint a very detailed picture of your life.

Telephone: An unlisted number is a great start, but if you must have your personal number listed - you
can request your address be unlisted. Recently while standing in the checkout line of a major retailer, I
watched in amazement as person after person voluntarily gave out their phone number to the cashier
as part of a store survey. Don't be afraid to say no or your unlisted number will become worthless.
Also, sign up for the telemarketing no-call list at www.donotcall.gov.

Home Address: Nothing beats replacing your home mail delivery with a P.O. Box. Whenever you need
to list your name and address for non-official matters - such as a magazine subscription, use your
middle initial and last name. A slight misspelling of your last name can also be effective in decoupling
your identity from various databases.

Shopper Cards: I'm a penny-pinching tightwad and make use of shopper cards at area grocery stores,
but I don't want retailers keeping tabs on my purchases. Solution? Ask for a generic card or use a fake
name and address when you sign up for the card.

Credit Cards: There's only one way to maintain privacy when making a purchase and that is to pay
cash - of course that's impossible when shopping online or by phone. Federal law requires merchants
to block out most of your credit card number on the retail receipt they give you to prevent credit card
fraud. Check you receipts and complain if the merchant is not in compliance.

Also, when dining out never give your card to a waiter - walk to the checkout station yourself.
Increasingly, thieves are getting jobs in restaurants to have access to credit cards where they use
simple handheld skimmers to secretly lift the information from the magnetic strip on the back of the
card. The info is then used for fraudulent online transactions or to make fakes cards for retail use.

Checks: Do not print your phone number or Social Security number on your checks. Also allowing a
store clerk to write your birthdate, SSN, and license number on a check is an invitation to identity theft
- another reason to not use checks. I never use checks except for mailing in payments - and using an
online bill paying system instead is much safer. Though some bankers may disagree, be aware that a
debit or check card does not provide you with the same rights and protections as a credit card. I will
not use one. Always pay attention to privacy notices you receive from banks and financial institutions
you deal with - and follow the instructions to keep your information from being shared.

Public Schools: You do not have to give the school system your child's SSN when you enroll them.
The law requires school systems to assign a student identification number instead if requested.

Resumes: If you are in the market for a new job, be extremely careful about the information you list on
your resume - especially if you are using an online job search service. Detailed information such as
birthdate or Social Security number should never be listed - save it for the interview.

Internet: To surf the net privately, check out www.Anonymizer.com. They offer a limited free version,
but the pay version is far superior. Use Yahoo or another free e-mail service - and like with the shopper
cards - you do not have to list your real name & address when setting up the account.

Be cautious about downloading free screensavers, mouse pointers, speed enhancers, and other
Internet goodies - many contain spyware. To clean up spyware and tracking products from your
computer, there are two good programs - Ad-aware and Spybot. Free versions of both are available at
www.Download.com. I recommend running both programs at least monthly.

In conclusion, I have quickly run out of room while only scratching the surface of privacy protection. In
general, be extremely cautious about providing personal information to anyone. There are numerous
suggestions and a tremendous amount of privacy research available at www.PrivacyRights.org. Good
luck!

Chuck Shiflett is a past chairman of the Bartow County Board of Education and former
Communications Director of the Georgia Republican Party.