What is Personally Identifiable Information? Examples of PII

What is Personally Identifiable Information?

Personally Identifiable Information, also known as PII, refers to any piece of information that can be traced to an individual’s identity.  PII is sensitive and private information that, if mishandled or exposed, can lead to privacy violations, identity theft, or severe financial consequences.

Examples of PII

• Your Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Race, Gender
• Phone Number
• Social Security Number
• Driver License Number
• Credit Card Information
• Home Address
• Job Title
• Work Address
• IP Address
• Email Address
• Device Identification
• Login Information (username, password, PIN)
• Browser History

Protect your PII

If you wish to protect your Personally Identifiable Information (PII), then use Hogo to remove your sensitive information from undesired websites or data brokers.

This does not include:

• Partially masked IP addresses
• Aggregated statistics on a product

What law establish the federal governments responsibility for safeguarding PII?

The Privacy Act of 1974 was passed by the Congress, and it is the main legislation that oversees the way your personally identifiable information is collected, preserved, or used by organizations or data brokers.

Many laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, govern the handling and protection of PII, imposing strict requirements on organizations that collect and store such information. Being aware of your rights regarding your PII and taking steps to protect it is essential for personal privacy and security.

Types of PII

Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information

SPII is PII that, if lost, compromised, or disclosed without authorization, could result in substantial harm, embarrassment, inconvenience, or unfairness to an individual.

This includes:

• Biometrics
• SSN
• Passport
• Financial
• Medical information

Payment Card Industry Data

PCI Data is information collected from payment, such as credit card number, credit card chip PIN, and cardholder name.

Protected Health Information

PHI applies to HIPAA-covered entities that possess identifiable health information. 

Keep in mind that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 prohibits healthcare providers and healthcare businesses, called covered entities, from disclosing protected information to anyone other than a patient and the patient’s authorized representatives without their consent. However, the HIPAA Privacy Rule wasn’t added to the regulation until 2002. The HIPAA Privacy Rule was created to ensure the confidentiality of protected health information (PHI). The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides industry standards for the proper use and disclosure of PHI, including who should have access to PHI. 

Did you know?

Health data from most period-tracking apps is not protected under HIPAA.  

In states like Texas, individuals considering abortion may face penalties. Apps like Flo and Clue have the capability to track the start and stop of an individual’s menstrual cycle and potential pregnancies.

I didn’t share this information. How did it show up?

Various sources, such as public records, social media apps, and loyalty programs, collect this information. Sometimes people know that they are giving this information away. But other times, people do not. For example, you enter your information into Ancestry.com to learn about your family history, but you may not know that this information can be sold to retailers to target ads to your demographic or anybody else who wants to buy it. This information is said to be “anonymized,” but 87% of U.S. citizens can be accurately identified using only their zip code, date of birth, and gender. 

How can I protect my Personally Identifiable Information?

Protecting your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is crucial for safeguarding your privacy and preventing identity theft or fraud. Here are some essential steps you can take to protect your PII:

Limit Sharing of PII:

• If you’re signing up for a service that is not crucial, it’s okay not to include your exact birthdate, name, email, etc. 
• Only provide your PII when absolutely necessary, and only to trusted sources.
• Be cautious about sharing your Social Security number or other sensitive information.

Shred Sensitive Documents:

• Shred financial statements, medical records, and any other physical documents containing PII before disposing of them.

Secure Your Mail:

• Use a locked mailbox or consider a P.O. Box for receiving mail containing sensitive information.
• Retrieve your mail promptly to prevent theft.

Use Secure Wi-Fi Networks:

• Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions or accessing personal accounts.
• Use a virtual private network (VPN) when connecting to public Wi-Fi to encrypt your data.

Secure Your Social Media Profiles:

• Adjust your social media privacy settings to limit the information visible to the public.
• Be cautious about sharing personal details, such as your full birthdate or home address, on social media platforms.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):

• Whenever possible, enable 2FA on your online accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide a second authentication method, like a text message or authentication app code, in addition to your password.

Beware of Phishing Scams:

• Be cautious about clicking on links or downloading attachments in emails or messages, especially if they are unsolicited or seem suspicious.
• Verify the authenticity of requests for personal information, especially those claiming to be from financial institutions or government agencies, by contacting them directly through official channels.

Check Your Credit Reports:

• Periodically review your credit reports from the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) for any suspicious activity or errors.

If you are looking for a way to protect your private information or data, then check out Hogo to protect yourself from identity theft. Ultimately, you can significantly reduce the risk of your PII falling into the wrong hands.

Categorised in: Identity Theft

This post was written by Adrian Yang