Don't Share Personal Information

“Money isn't everything - there's also credit cards, money orders, and travelers' checks”

A few nights about I called my credit card companies and each one required that I answer the official security questions. What is your zip code? What is your card number? What is the mother’s maiden name for the primary cardholder? This last one is kind of tricky since I can never remember if the primary cardholder is me or my wife.

Sadly as security goes, the official questions are quite lame. Any store employee can steal your card number. Zip codes can be found via Google with person lookups. Mother’s maiden name could be found on ancestry.com or through a friend of the family.

What can your do?

1. Ask for different security questions. Some sites let you choose your question or write your own like, “You’re first pet’s name”, or “Your first friend”.
   
2. Make up an imaginary maiden name. You do not have to use your real mother’s name but you do have to remember the alternative you give.

Bottom Line

When teens, children (even adults) surf the Internet they should be taught that there is some information that is never shared on facebook, blogs, etc.

• credit card number


• social security number


• mother's maiden name


• debit card number and PIN


• bank passwords and logins


• internet account passwords

The end of my post Espionage has details on creating strong passwords.