Deter trash intelligence by safeguarding personal information

  • Published
  • By 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  Most people may scrunch their nose in disgust at the thought of pilfering the contents of a dumpster. Disgusting or not, fraud gremlins can learn a lot about somebody by sorting through their garbage.

This ploy known as "Trash Intelligence" is an effort to gather personal information for underhanded purposes such as identity theft. In the hands of identity thieves, personally identifiable information can be used for a smorgasbord of misdeeds. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission estimates up to nine million Americans are victims of identity theft each year.

It's critically important for government employees to understand the threat of identity theft because using personal information is an everyday part of doing business in the military. Critical Information relating to professional and personal business such as orders, recall rosters, flight schedules and other personnel paperwork must be shredded when no longer needed.

To further protect the personal information of the men and women of Homestead Air Reserve Base, the 482nd Communications Squadron is hard at work in an effort to safeguard personal information by providing further guidance and training to all 482nd Fighter Wing units on the proper handling of Privacy Act information.

"Maintaining information privacy is the responsibility of every federal employee, military member, and contractor who comes in contact with information in identifiable form," said Maj. Richard Ropac, 482nd Communications Squadron commander. "It all boils down to educating our Airmen and employees on how to safeguard information."

One of the first steps in protecting information is to understand exactly what is protected through the Privacy Act of 1974.

The Privacy Act applies to records on living U.S. citizens and permanent residents that are retrieved by name or personal identifier. Personally Identifiable Information refers to any information that identifies, or can be used to identify, contact, or locate the person to whom the information pertains. Information includes, but is not limited to, social security numbers, home addresses, telephone numbers, payroll numbers, education, financial transactions, medical history including results of drug testing, and criminal or employment history, explained Mr. Harriol Coats, the 482nd Fighter Wing Privacy Act & Freedom of Information Act manager.

"Privacy Act Information must be destroyed with a cross-cut before disposal," Mr. Coats explains. "If it's in paper form, destroy it by using shredder, or in the case of large amounts of Privacy Act Information, make an appointment to use the base destruction facility, Mr. Coats added.

Below are some everyday tips from the Federal Trade Commission on how military personnel & families to deter identity thieves by safeguarding your personal information.

-Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.

-Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.

-Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with.

-Safeguard your military ID. Keep it with you or locked up at all times.

-Never lend your credit cards or account information to anyone else.

-Do not click on links sent in unsolicited e-mails; instead, type in a Web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer, and keep them up to date. Visit www.OnGuardOnline.gov for more information.

-Don't use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother's maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

-Don't let mail pile up unattended if you can't collect it. Use a mail stop or P.O. Box, or have someone you trust hold your mail while you are away.