Today’s MSNBC News reported Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown LA was hacked. The hotel has informed customers of the incident. Guests who used credit cards at the hotel’s four restaurants or valet parking may get affected.
While hotels are working hard to protect consumers’ privacy (l believe they do), we, as consumers, can also be smart in protecting our privacy. Here are some examples:
· Use our business contact information at all time. People can easily look up such info in a company’s website or some sort. In this sense, I consider business contact info as “public info.”
· Utilize online banking to monitor the expenses. Reports showed people check their balances more often if they use online banking. If we don’t feel comfortable in online banking, check our monthly statement often and report any suspicious transactions.
· Check our credit report every year. I use AnnualCreditReport.com (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp). This website does not show me my credit score, but provides detailed reports on my credit and debt history. Once, I had to call them to take away some credit card accounts under my name --- my report included several other people’s credit card history, including those who have different first names and/or different social security numbers. I don’t know why they appeared in my report, but at least I can call the website and had the problem fixed.
What other ideas do you have? Would you mind sharing with us?
References:
MSNBC.com: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35740977/
Picture was copied from: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok03072010P
While hotels are working hard to protect consumers’ privacy (l believe they do), we, as consumers, can also be smart in protecting our privacy. Here are some examples:
· Use our business contact information at all time. People can easily look up such info in a company’s website or some sort. In this sense, I consider business contact info as “public info.”· Utilize online banking to monitor the expenses. Reports showed people check their balances more often if they use online banking. If we don’t feel comfortable in online banking, check our monthly statement often and report any suspicious transactions.
· Check our credit report every year. I use AnnualCreditReport.com (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp). This website does not show me my credit score, but provides detailed reports on my credit and debt history. Once, I had to call them to take away some credit card accounts under my name --- my report included several other people’s credit card history, including those who have different first names and/or different social security numbers. I don’t know why they appeared in my report, but at least I can call the website and had the problem fixed.
What other ideas do you have? Would you mind sharing with us?
References:
MSNBC.com: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35740977/
Picture was copied from: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok03072010P
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