My LinkedIn Q&A – Security/Privacy Awareness # 1 – When/Where/Who should I give my social security number to and why and what are the impacts of doing so? Are there any protective laws in place?
Good day to you,
Here is another education and awareness question in my series on the use of your social security number today.
Ever since the financial crisis has begun (which isn’t just today, look 18 months back), more and more people have been trying to avert the issues and impacts of the job losses and downturn in the economic trends. For this reason, they have been opening themselves up to more “risky business” opportunities/ventures in the name of finding a job or making some quick money to pay the bills and put food on the table. This is a bad sign of worse things to come for these people and by us taking a look at this now we can help educate others.
As more people are jobless the use of the internet increases, it takes away the human face-to-face elements that would help to validate the business or offerings/opportunities. More job sites/opportunities offering the hopes of new jobs/loans with a request for signing up with personal/private info is only a fraction of the bigger issues.
This has lead to an increase in identity theft and the loss of people’s personal/private information that trickles down to the core of our lives. As the economy will get worse before it gets better and more “rescue” opportunities/offers are being circulated, one can only imagine the dramatic increase in phishing and social engineering scams that will come about as a result of the new stimulus package and government initiatives. Sometimes we give up this information because we don’t know how/where/where to do so and then it becomes an after the fact issue. We will address the identity theft education and awareness issues later.
So, let us take a concerted look at when/where/who should I give my social security number to and why, and what are the impacts of doing so.
Are there any protective laws in place for it?
Your thoughts/feedback/input.
Thank you and have a great day,
~Brett A. Scudder~
The IT Security Attaché
More answers on LinkedIn here http://www.linkedin.com/answers/using-linkedIn/ULI/417629-3071950
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