If someone who happened to be pumping gas at the next gas island or standing in line behind you to buy movie tickets leaned over and asked for your Social Security Number or bank account number or your address, would you reply? Assuming your answer is no, then it is always good to remind ourselves that the convenience of the internet comes with anonymity. The next time anyone inquires of you over the internet for personal or private business information, ask yourself a couple of key questions:
1. Did this inquiry, transaction or dialogue begin via email? If so, did you initiate the email to a reputable website/company or did you respond to an email that may only appear to be legitimate. Will the person making the inquiry provide a telephone contact number to speak with someone in person? Can the telephone number be independently verified?
2. If speed or urgency, such as not to lose an "opportunity", is repeatedly stressed, examine the supposed basis for the urgency.
3. Your Mother, as they usually are, was right: "Don't take candy from strangers." If you do not know with whom you are dealing, find out first.
4. Have set and well defined rules in your practice as to which employees have access to private, personal and business information and to whom, under what circumstances, such information may be divulged. It is best practice to have a second contact person, CPA, attorney, practice consultant, for a staff person to contact if you are not available when responding to an inquiry.
For practical and valuable information regarding safety and security in the more physical sense, I strongly recommend you check out badguysatbay.blogspot.com where my friend Roger Walker, a residential and commercial security professional, blogs with advice and information.
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