Could your business withstand being the victim of identity theft?
While some companies can survive such a matter, others would either need significant time to recover or would never recover at all.
That said what is your business doing to steer clear of identity theft thieves?
Close the Doors on I.D. Theft
In order for your business to do its best in closing the doors on identity theft, keep these tips in mind:
- Plan – First and foremost, what kind of plan do you have set up to negate identity theft as much as possible? Unfortunately, some business owners are of the opinion that I.D. theft can’t happen to them, so they therefore do not have to guard against it. That line of thinking can be one of the most destructive ones possible, especially as identity theft thieves continue to try and exploit businesses and consumers at each and every turn. Always be on guard for identity theft, avoiding the idea that you and your business are untouchable. If you’re not protecting customer identities, you are setting yourself up for quite a fall;
- Employees – Your workers play several roles when it comes to the identity theft and your business. First, they are a great line of defense against the problem, especially since they deal with clients on a firsthand basis. Make sure they stay cognizant of what is going on both online and off, looking for any red flags that may suggest your brand is being targeted for I.D. theft. Secondly, as much as you want to trust those you hire (and you should), there is always the possibility that one or more of your workers will in fact by identity theft criminals themselves. It should not come as a huge surprise that some businesses have been successfully targeted for I.D. theft by those right under their noses. As a result, the crime may go unnoticed for a period of time. If you suspect one or more of your workers are engaging in identity theft against you, an immediate investigation needs to take place. Remember, each day you let go by without looking into the matter is one more day you could lose money and/or clients;
- Education – Being educated about the dangers of identity theft is a necessity, not a choice. As a business owner, you have a responsibility to not only your customers, but also your employees to keep your brand as removed as possible from I.D. theft. If an identity theft attack is successful against your business, it could put you and your team out of work (depending on the severity of it). Being you run a business, it is important that you are as educated as possible about how identity theft works, what types of businesses are typically targeted, and how to recover from such an attack without having to close up shop. There are plenty of articles online about how to combat identity theft, not to mention videos too. Follow up on a number of these pieces to learn more about whether or not your brand is significantly at risk;
- Warnings – Finally, do you know the telltale signs of identity theft? If not, get up to speed sooner rather than later. For instance, if your company’s financial books are not adding up, there could be something fishy going on. The same holds true for any company credit cards showing differing balances than what they should. Also look at whether any employees have been acting strange as of late, especially those who may be charged with doing your accounting tasks etc.
The negative fallout from even one successful identity theft attack against your business could be catastrophic, so do not take the matter lightly.
If you are not guarding against identity theft, you are making it easier for such criminals to strike.
When you have a protection monitoring plan in place to cover all of your financial undertakings, you educate yourself and your workers on the dangers of I.D. theft, and you regularly review your safeguards in place, you greatly reduce the odds of being the next victim. Will identity theft be your business? If you care about your livelihood, you certainly will.