Security Tips for Jewelers
Thanks to
Katherine Palochak for allowing us to use this article.
Take a look at her Website at
Metals and Gems
-
When you deal in jewelry, never, ever, give out your
physical address.
I've known people who have been murdered because of this
practice and have
had their relatives kidnapped and held for ransom. Just because
you don't
deal in precious metals and precious stones does not make you
any less
vulnerable.
-
List only your post office box and a unlisted phone number.
The unlisted
number prevents anyone from looking up your number on the
internet phone
directories and finding your physical location.
-
Make sure your ISP does not have your physical address. If
it has a form
for you to fill out, only list your post office box. If they
have a problem
with it, they'll call. Do not automatically take that person's
word for them
being a supervisor with XYZ company. Call that company from
their listing in
the phone book directory, ask to speak to the supervisor, and
tell them your
concerns. Ask what security measures they have in place to
protect
confidential customer information.
-
Don't give out your social security number. No one,
including your
doctor, your college, anybody other than Social Security and
your CPA needs
that number to access information. They can identify you by your
other IDs,
including your driver's license. If someone really needs to get
to your
personal information, they have to go through the police or
sheriff's
department, and they will vet the inquiry.
-
Many police departments have crime units that do public
seminars on how
to avoid theft. Go to them.
-
If you're lucky enough to be able to hire an accountant to
do your
books, use a CPA. It's amazing how much money is embezzled from
those who do
accounting without licensure.
-
Check the accounting reports. Check your bank accounts and
your charge
card accounts on a regular basis. Do you have little charges of
a few
dollars that you can't remember having charged. Red flag! Many
electronic
thieves make a few small charges to see if the account is being
watched, and
then will do a whopper charge to your limit.
Katherine Palochak © 2007
Used with permission of the author
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