Most people are aware of the dangers posed by scams that claim to be originating from a business. But what if you receive an e-mail, phone call, or letter claiming to come from a government agency? Many consumers are likely to assume that such communications are legitimate because they appear to come from the government.
It’s a new year and you may already be thinking about filing your income tax return. Perhaps you have received your tax forms in the mail from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You may be in a hurry to file if you are expecting a refund. Before you file, we want you to understand about IRS “information returns”. These important documents are mailed to you not by the IRS, but by other organizations.
We at the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse wish you a happy, prosperous and private new year. For 2010, resolve to be a privacy advocate. Use our ten tips below to minimize your risk of identity theft, protect your personal information and assert your rights to privacy.
1. Be assertive in guarding your privacy when you are asked to provide sensitive information that you do not feel is necessary. If someone (including healthcare providers, government agencies and employers) asks for your personal information, ask these 5 questions:
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is pleased to offer these ten timely tips to protect you and your privacy during the holiday season. You may be shopping more frequently and under more crowded and frantic conditions. Follow these tips to help avoid scams and rip-offs. Be a privacy-smart consumer!
[Date]
[Your address]
[Name of company]
[Company's address as shown in the privacy notice]
RE: Opt-Out Instructions for Account #______________
Dear [name if given in the privacy notice]:
Following are my instructions with regard to your information sharing and sales policies:
1. You do not have my permission to share my personally identifiable information with
nonaffiliated third party companies or individuals. I am asserting my rights under the
Breach Notice Comments Submitted to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
October 23, 2009
US Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights, Attention: HITECH Breach Notification
Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 509F
200 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Submitted via: www.regulations.gov
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]
[Name of care provider or facility]
[Address]
RE: [Your medical identification number or other identifier used]
Dear
The purpose of this letter is to request copies of my medical records as allowed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Department of Health and Human Services regulations.
Date
Your Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Re: Complaint Against [Name of Collection Agency], Case # ________
[If the collection agency has sent written notice, your case number is likely in the letter.]
Name of Government Agency
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
To [name of agency official, such as State Attorney General]:
If you want to reduce the amount of unsolicited national advertising mail you receive at home, you may register with the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA's) Mail Preference Service (MPS) by printing out the DMA form, filling it in, and mailing it to the Mail Preference Service (NOT Privacy Rights Clearinghouse). Be sure to include a check or money order with your letter with the amount specified.
Comments submitted to the California Department of Insurance by:
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
PrivacyActivism
Daniel M. Goodell, Senior Staff Counsel
California Department of Insurance
45 Fremont Street 21st Floor
San Francisco, California 94105
e-mail: PubComments.2008-020@insurance.ca.gov
RE: Pay-Drive Usage-Based Auto Insurance