Do you know what PII is?  

PII is Personal Identifiable Information, the Department of Homeland Security defines it as any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred, including any information that is linked or linkable to that individual. So, what does that mean?  

PII includes things like Social Security numbers, driver license numbers, medical records, financial records, and even criminal records. Today, even your fingerprint and email addresses are a part of PII. If this information is accessed by the wrong person, it could be detrimental.  

You need to keep this information safe so it cannot be used to commit fraud. Depending on what a scammer’s goal is, they need different information to open accounts in your name. With the right amount of information, a scammer could easily open a credit card and you would never know until the damage was done. 

Here are some ways to protect your Personal Identifiable Information:  

• Be wary of Public Wi-Fi: hackers can set up fake Wi-Fi spots and eavesdrop on the connection and collect user details.   

• Use strong passwords: you should always use strong passwords for every account, but why stop there? Use 2FA and a password protector for accounts.  
• Monitor your credit reports to ensure no one has been opening any accounts in your name.  

As a UAB Blazer, we all have a vital part in protecting our personal information to help protect our campus. Learn more about how to stay cyber secure here.