Ottawa, December 20, 2006 – Holiday shoppers should protect their personal information to reduce the risk of becoming victims of fraud and to avoid unwanted telemarketing calls and junk mail, according to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart.
At a time of the year when many people are shopping for gifts and Boxing Day bargains, there are several privacy issues they should be aware of as they make their purchases.
“Canada’s private-sector privacy law requires retailers to limit how much personal information they collect and also to adequately protect that information,” Ms. Stoddart said. “Consumers need to be aware of their rights. They need to ask questions when they have doubts about requests from retailers for their personal information or about how that information is being handled.”
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has concerns related to a certain retail-related issues, including the practice of printing credit card numbers on receipts.
“Consumers should be especially careful with receipts that include a full credit card number and expiry date. If a receipt with that information falls into the wrong hands, it could be used to commit credit card fraud,” said Ms. Stoddart.
The Commissioner advised consumers to check receipts to ensure the credit card number has been truncated – for example, that the middle numbers have been replaced with Xs. Receipts with complete credit card numbers should be kept in a safe place and destroyed when they are no longer needed.
Consumers can also remind organizations about their legal obligation to protect personal information, including credit card numbers.
“It’s time for retailers to move towards technology that obscures credit card numbers on receipts. They need to help protect their customers’ information,” said Ms. Stoddart.
Industry representatives have advised the OPC that, by the year 2007, all equipment used to electronically process credit card payments will mask cardholders’ personal information. “This is an issue my Office will be keeping an eye on in the New Year,” Ms. Stoddart said.
The Commissioner also offered several other privacy tips to holiday shoppers:
If you have doubts about whether an ATM machine is secure, don’t use it. When you enter your PIN either at an ATM machine or at the cash register, cover it with your hand.
When a cashier asks for personal information such as a phone number, address or postal code, ask questions about why the information is being requested. Do not provide it if you are not satisfied with the explanation and you have concerns about receiving telemarketing calls or marketing materials.
Many companies use product warranty cards to collect personal information for marketing purposes. In many cases, filling out a warranty card results in more junk mail and telemarketing calls. Warranty cards are often not needed to ensure that you have a legal warranty. Check for yourself whether returning the card is a warranty condition.
Avoid filling out ballots for "free draws" or other promotions. These are surefire ways to get your name, address and telephone number on a junk mail or telemarketing list.
Many stores offer "rewards" or "points" programs. Often stores see your participation as consent to share your information without directly asking for your permission. If you want to avoid getting junk mail or other promotional material, either don't join these programs, or ask the stores not to share your personal information. Read the policy to make sure you understand what you are agreeing to by participating.
Stores can ask for only the minimum information necessary to prevent fraud when handling returns. Retailers may ask for personal information such as name, address and telephone number. Sometimes a store will ask to see a piece of identification when a consumer returns a product.
When shopping online, ensure you have up-to-date security software, including firewall, anti-virus and anti-spy protection. Use security controls when using a wireless network. Never click on Web site links that have been e-mailed to you – they may link you to sites created by scam artists to collect your personal information. For more information, see the “Protecting Your Privacy on the Internet” fact sheet on the OPC Web site.
The holiday season is a time of year when many people donate to charities and other fund-raising organizations, which often share donor lists with one another. If you make a donation and do not want your personal information to be given to any other charities, enclose a note with your payment.
For more information about protecting personal information and Canada’s private-sector privacy law, the Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act (PIPEDA), visit the OPC Web site at www.privcom.gc.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Valerie Lawton
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Tel: 613-943-5982
E-mail: vlawton@privcom.gc.ca
