Protecting Business Identity Doesn’t End at the Wastebasket

By Gail Bisbee, President/CEO, Confidential Records Management, Inc.

For Immediate Release   -   November 20, 2009

We’ve all heard the stories of someone having their identity stolen and how it can take years to overcome.  With this being said, can you imagine a business getting its identity stolen?  How does a business begin to recover from a ruined credit history and possibly large amounts of debt?  A stolen business identity could be the beginning of a financial disaster that could last for years.

Believe it or not, business identity theft is fairly common even in North Carolina and it can happen to any business no matter what industry or geographic region it’s located in.  All it takes is the wrong person being in the right place and gaining access to documents or materials you thought you destroyed properly.   

So what should you do to avoid business identify theft?  Here are a few simple precautionary steps you can take to take to protect your business:

• Protect your computers –Since many employees have access to business computers, password protect as many files as possible and always use passwords and install firewalls to protect your network.  When making online purchases through your business computer, set security options to a higher setting, since the default will allow just about anything to be downloaded and stored, including confidential account numbers.


• Shred documents – Any type of business record should never simply be tossed in the trash or recycled before shredding them.  Keep in mind that discs and other media containing sensitive information should also be shredded.  If it’s too much to handle internally, consider utilizing businesses that can shred documents for you.  Seek out a company that specializes in secure and develop a shredding schedule based on your businesses needs, whether it’s weekly or monthly. For peace of mind, find a company that provides third-party witnessing of your documents’ destruction. 


• Use locks, keys and alarms – Businesses should have alarm systems to deter break-ins.  Be sure windows are secured with screens or shatter-proof glass.  Whenever you are not using the information, you should always keep customer records and other data in locked filing cabinets.  Important business data such as database backups should always be stored in a safe, secure area.  For an extra precaution, consider storing highly sensitive information such as database or network backups at a secure off-site storage facility that specializes in records management.    


• Finally, don’t forget to review and update your company’s security policies and be sure all employees are up to date on those policies.  Discuss your e-mail and Internet policies, computer network access, how to increase browser security settings and how to deal with suspicious mail or e-mails.  Be sure your employees know to contact you if they notice any suspicious activity.  Remember to immediately stop all access to company data once an employee is no longer working for your business. 

There are a lot of great resources and new technologies available that can play a role in protecting a business’ identity.  The best part about taking these precautionary steps is that they’re neither time consuming nor costly to implement and they could potentially save you from a disaster that could take months or years to overcome.