Where is YOUR Personal Information??

Interesting article in Forbes, asking the age old question who gets your information and what do they do with it?

The writer postulates (based on input from an IBM analytics specialist), when you give out your information once, and it ends up in a database within 12 months over 1000 listings could potentially exist.

This topic has been discussed many times before and there are a lot of opinions, but what can you do about it? Well, the first thing is DON'T GIVE OUT YOUR information anywhere that you don't need to. Another suggestion is to have a second address, like a PO Box that you can use for non-official sources, and by all means, have a throw-away e-mail address (Yahoo, AOL, G-Mail, or other) that you can give out. As for your phone number, if one is required, you can always scramble the last 4 digits =).

Also, when you DO provide the "real deal", don't be shy about asking what it's going to be used for, what their privacy policy is, how long it will be retained, who it will be shared with, and HOW THEY DESTROY their records. When you ask these questions, if you're not satisfied with the answers, simply put "decline to state" on the form. Obviously, with a medical office, Financial services firm, educational institution, or other critical care organization, they should provide you a copy of their privacy policy (at least in California, because it's required).