Jan. 28, 2010, is World Data Privacy Day. Learn more.
Technological advances have made data-gathering and information-sharing easier than ever before, but this is a double-edged sword for consumers and businesses. Access to personal information—including Social Security numbers, addresses, credit card numbers, and personal buying habits—allows businesses to target audiences and customize sales efforts. But it also permits unwelcome invasions of personal privacy through telemarketing calls, fraudulent sales pitches and other uses consumers never intended.
The rapid growth of the Internet has added to privacy concerns by making it easier to distribute and gather personal information on line. As such information has become more accessible, another problem has exploded—identity theft.
Identity thieves use other people's personal information to rack up charges in their names and then disappear, leaving victims with creditors breathing down their necks and an enormous mess to clean up.
These problems have prompted many consumers to say they want more control over their personal information. At the same time, businesses say their customers want customized products and services that are possible only through the collection, analysis and use of information about them.
So what's to be done? The Attorney General’s Office has addressed the issues of privacy and identity theft in three ways: (1) by educating consumers and businesses about ways to protect privacy, (2) by taking legal action where appropriate, and (3) by seeking legislative solutions.
The links below and in the left navigation bar provide information to help consumers and businesses deal with privacy and identity theft issues and to explain efforts by this office to respond to citizen concerns in these areas. To get started, you may want to read Tips for Identity Theft/Privacy. We hope you find the information useful and informative.
Privacy & Personal Information | Identity Theft | Do Not Call Registry | Security Freeze & Fraud Alert | Phishing | Joe Job Spam | Dumpster Diving | Information for Businesses | Tips for Identity Theft/Privacy