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How to protect your personal information

PITTSBURGH — Scammers don't need much to get some damaging information on you. Sometimes, all they need is a first and last name.

Channel 11 took a look at what information criminals can easily find online about you and how that information can be dangerous. We started with a coworker and used the website True People Search. All we had to do was type in her name and the results started coming in. Her old address, a P.O. box, a list of relatives, it was all there. She told us, it was concerning to see.

So we went to the state's top officer, Attorney General Josh Shapiro to learn more.

"We're working real hard to shut these scammers down, not give them the opportunity to put this data together," Shapiro said.

He said criminals can take the information we found online and put it together with illegally obtained data to start making real dangerous moves.

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"When it's something that's not public and they add these couple things up, then they can go and open up a credit card in your name" Shapiro told Channel 11.

Even Attorney General Shapiro is not immune. We ran a report on his name and found out quite a lot. We found his home phone number, his wife's name and age and their address. He said he is not a stranger to scams.

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"This happened to my wife and I, where you have people who have filed tax returns but used your address," Shapiro said.

While Shapiro said it is impossible to keep all your information secret, there are steps you can take to protect it.

  • Monitor your credit
  • Don't give out personal information over the phone or online
  • Be vigilant with protecting your personal data as much as possible.

In the privacy setting on True People Search and many other sites, you can opt to have your information removed from the site.

 

Cox Media Group

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