Avoid Having Your Business Identified for Disaster

Do you ever stop and think about what might happen if an identity theft thief struck your company?

If you think that such a scenario is all but impossible, you may want to change that line of thinking, especially given the negative fallout your business could suffer as a result.

When it comes to identity theft, your business could be devastated by one successful I.D. theft strike in no time. In the process, all of that hard work you put in over the years could prove fruitless.

So, if identity theft protection has not been a priority for you up to now, is it time your business changed its mindset, taking identity theft much more seriously?

 

Taking the Fight to Criminals

So that your company lessens the chances of falling victim to identity theft, here are a few tips to follow up on:

  • Be on offense, not defense – The worst thing you can do as a business owner is being on defense all of the time. No matter what the subject matter (identity theft, customer service, online reputation being called into question etc.), a defensive posture 24/7 is never a good thing. So that you increase the odds in your favor as to avoid identity theft, have a protection plan from a reputable provider in place. Also be sure to remind your employees (if you are not running your own business by yourself) that they too must practice safety around the office (and when traveling) as it relates to computers, using company credit cards etc. The last thing you want to happen is have an employee drop his or her guard, allowing an I.D. theft thief to get the break they have been looking for;
  • Avoid becoming too social – Another red flag is being too chatty and open on social networking sites. For instance, a couple of your employees are on social media having what they believe to be a private conversation regarding a client. As it turns out, that discussion is not as private as they first thought it was. What happens next is an identity theft thief gets ahold of some personal client data, allowing them to not only cause the client harm, but your company’s reputation too. While it is fine to allow employees to use social media for brand promotions and other work-related tasks, make sure they are never discussing customer data under any circumstances online. The potential negative repercussions are just too great to risk;
  • Take time to review your practices – Just because you feel you might have the upper-hand on identity theft at the moment (even if you do have a protection plan in place), avoid becoming complacent. The worst thing you could ever do as a business owner is think you are immune to such attacks. As a result, be sure to review the practices you have on-hand now, along with some fresh ideas you are toying with for down the road. Remember, identity theft thieves are always looking to get the better of technology, meaning they can outwit the best defense mechanisms identity theft providers can deploy. So that you do not fall victim to their practices, take the proper amount of time in reviewing identity theft protection programs if you do not already have one covering you, how you and your employees guard against identity theft, what plans you have ready to go if your system does suffer an attack, and how you will handle it with your customers from a public relations standpoint;
  • Send a message – Lastly, if you unfortunately catch one or more of your employees stealing from you (in the form of identity theft), make sure you send a message with your actions. This can be anything from suspension without pay to termination to even pressing criminal charges. Any individual who walks through your doors for an interview, and then may be hired at some point and time, needs to know that the rules are in place for a reason. Such rules against identity theft not only protect the customers, they help you and your business overall.

As 2016 winds down, make sure you know whether or not your company is potentially awaiting a business disaster in the form of identity theft.

About the author

Dave Thomas writes for a variety of websites on topics such as human resources and running a small business.

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