Privacy Means Profit: Prevent Identity Theft and Secure You and Your Bottom Line

Chapter 7. The Fourth Mind-Set: Lock the Docs

Technology is a significant source of identity theft and data breach. That said, according to research, your risk of physical document theft is still considerably higher than electronic theft. For one reason, as we all turn our attention more toward protecting ourselves technologically, thieves are taking advantage of good old-fashioned document theft.

Victim #1,477,377: The Inside Job

Carmen's family was robbed when she was 11. She will never forget how sick it made her feel that someone had been in her home, prowling around. That is why Carmen, now 36 and with a house larger than most people dream of owning, takes particular pride in, and spent a fortune on, home security. She grew up "thinking like a thief," and takes great precautions to protect her home from the outside in.

She lives in a gated community with a security service that monitors residents' homes 24 hours a day. She has installed a $20,000 motion-sensitive burglar alarm and video surveillance system, and owns two German shepherds. On all of her doors are double-deadbolts, which are connected to a thumbprint scanner. When someone wants to enter the house, they must press their thumbs against a pad just outside any of the doorways. Four people have access by thumbprint to Carmen's house: her mother, sister, cleaning lady, and best friend.

Carmen describes her home as a "safe house." She shreds every piece of paper that leaves the house; uses encryption technology on her computer, ...