14 December 2009
_________________________________________________________________________________

'The holiday season means we can relax a bit, but don't drop your guard on your personal information. Protect your wallet, cell phone or lap top. It's easy to get caught up in the festive whirl and lose these items. In the wrong hands, your details can easily be misused,' says Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff.

'Whether face-to-face, on the phone, or online - don't pass on your personal details unless you know who will be using them and why,' says Ms Shroff.

Here are some tips to keep your personal details safe during the holidays:

• Keep an eye on your wallet, cell phone, smart phone or laptop, for example, especially in busy shops, bars and holiday spots. Don't leave them unattended - thieves could have a field day with your information.

• Remove unnecessary credit cards or documents from your wallet or bag that could compromise your identity if you lose them. Don't keep nonessential details on your cell phone - do you need everyone's addresses and extra details on your phone? The more personal information an identity thief can get hold of, the easier their job becomes.

• If you are going on holiday, you can ask the Post Office to hold your mail (see www.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/ProductsAndServices/H/HoldMyMail/HoldMyMail) or ask a neighbour to do so. Mail left in an unlocked letter box is a goldmine for identity thieves.

• Don't advertise on social networking sites that you will be away. This would be like putting a sign on your front door that says 'I'm on holiday - burgle me!'

• When shopping online, only send personal or financial information using a secure transaction system, usually shown as a website address that begins with https://

• Check out a website's privacy policy before providing any personal information.

• After the holidays, check your credit and bank statements as soon as they arrive so that anything that doesn't look like your spending can be reported straight away.

• Be aware that some links in emails can take you to websites with malicious content, which could result in your information being used fraudulently. Before you click on a link, look at exactly where it will take you by running your mouse over the link to show the URL. If you are not certain that the website is legitimate and safe, do not click on the link. It's safer to type the URL into your internet browser.

• Don't give your details online to anyone you are not sure about. Even an email seemingly from a friend asking for your information or help could be malicious. Be certain you know who you are replying to - check that the return address is correct. If it's not and you reply, you could be replying to a scammer.

• Be wary about downloading holiday ringtones, Christmas carol lyrics or festive screensavers. They could infect your computer with spy or malware. Check that your own computer is secure with up-to-date firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware protections.

• If using the internet in a cyber cafe or other public place, don't access or send sensitive information such as your banking details. Public computers are prime targets for hackers. Also, public internet services won't necessarily be encrypted, so your information on them may not be secure. Make sure you log off all your accounts before you leave.

• SMS-Spoofing, or sending fake texts, is increasing. Via the internet, someone can alter their identity so that a text appears to be from someone else such as a relative, your boss, or a company. Be cautious about replying to texts that ask for any personal details - make sure you are confident you know who is asking for your information, though it's much safer not to reply at all. A text might appear to be from your bank or a friend when in fact it's from a cyber-criminal.

• When using Wi-Fi, make sure you use at least https - the secure version of http. Https provides encryption and creates a reasonably secure channel over the internet, safeguarding your communications from cyber-spies or attacks. Also, use secure Wi-Fi hotspots for more confidence that your information will not be compromised.

ENDS

For further information contact Cathy Henry on 021 509735 or 04 4747610.


Note for Editors:

These tips have been gathered together from various sources.