Anti-virus software, firewalls, employee training, and plain common sense can go a long way to protect your customer database and to protect consumers from loss and identity theft. But leaving the door open, allowing personally identifiable information to be stolen or altered, you have not done your job as a privacy and security officer. As a result, you have compromised the trust between you and your customer. There could be legal ramifications as well.
Identity theft is an ever growing problem for consumers and businesses alike. As marketers, we have a responsibility to protect the personal data we collect against illegal or unauthorized use. Awareness is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against identity theft, and that’s where you can play an important role: The more your customers know how to protect their identities and what to do if a problem occurs, the harder it is for identity thieves to commit their crimes.
