An Invitation from Department of Consumer Affairs Associate Commissioner Fran Freedman

The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs is holding a FREE "Red Flags" workshop for all small businesses in New York City on April 29, 2009. The workshop will be held at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus at 113 W.60th Street in Manhattan. It will focus on how businesses can prevent identity theft for their employees and customers. All businesses are encouraged to attend. For more information contact the BID office or the contact information below.

Most companies keep sensitive personal information in their files — names, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or other account data — that identifies customers or employees. However, if sensitive data falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to fraud or identity theft. Preventing identity theft requires a comprehensive approach. Businesses must implement data security practices that deter crooks from obtaining personal information to open or access accounts. Businesses also must pay attention to telltale signs – or red flags – suggesting that thieves may be trying to use personal information that they’ve already acquired.

The Federal Trade Commission, the Center on Law and Information Policy of Fordham Law School, the New York State Consumer Protection Board, and the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs will sponsor a free, full-day workshop in New York City on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. Other sponsors include the New York State Office of Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Coordination, the Better Business Bureau Serving Metropolitan New York, and the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Business people, attorneys, government officials, privacy officers, and other experts will provide practical guidance for businesses of all sizes. The morning session, “Protecting Personal Information: Best Practices for Business,” focuses on how businesses can better secure personal information, implement best practices for developing an appropriate data security program, and respond to data breaches and other privacy and security threats. The afternoon session, “Fighting Fraud with the Red Flags Rule: Practical Guidance for Business,” addresses a new regulation that requires creditors and financial institutions to develop an Identity Theft Program for their covered accounts. FTC lawyers will provide guidance and answer questions about the scope, structure, and requirements of the Red Flags Rule. Business people and privacy experts will discuss their experiences with creating and implementing an Identity Theft Program.

Both sessions are free, open to the public and take place in Pope Auditorium on the Lincoln Center campus of Fordham University, 113 West 60th Street, New York, NY. The first session starts at 9:30 am; the second at 2:00 pm. On-site registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Advance registration for the workshop and for CLE credits will begin on March 31, 2009. Visit http://law.fordham.edu/ftc for more information. To learn more about the workshops, visit www.ftc.gov/infosecurity.

Application for CLE accreditation of this course or program in New York is currently pending. Attendees seeking CLE credits must pay a fee for those credits. The International Association of Privacy Professionals will automatically approve five Continuing Privacy Education credits for anyone in attendance who is a Certified Information Privacy Professional.

As part of its business education program, the FTC has information to help businesses develop their own data security plans, including an online tutorial, a booklet, and a series of articles suitable for reprinting in print or electronic newsletters. All are available at www.ftc.gov/infosecurity. Further information about data security, including New York State’s Business Privacy Guide, is available on the Consumer Protection Board’s website at www.consumer.state.ny.us/.

If you have any questions, please email infosecurity@ftc.gov .