BBB, Colorado Secretary of State issue warning on business identity theft

DENVER — The Better Business Bureau and the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office are urging business owners to password protect their records on the Secretary of State’s website.

The advice comes after the Colorado Bureau of Investigation recently pointed to an increase in attempted acts of business identity theft.

Wayne Williams, Colorado’s secretary of state, is encouraging Colorado business owners to sign up for the office’s secure business filing service at the Secretary of State’s website.

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“Businesses — particularly small businesses — are a desirable and easy target for identity thieves because they don’t need that much information to impersonate a business,” said Kim States, chief executive of the Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. “More often than not the information needed is publicly available for free or legally purchased. The Secretary of State’s proactive stance on this growing problem is admirable.”

The Federal Trade Commission recently released tips on how to create an advanced password:

— Your password should be long, complex and unique.

— Avoid common words, phrases, or information. Don’t use information available to others like your birthday, phone number, or Social Security number. Attackers often use a dictionary of previously exposed passwords and information gathered from the Internet to help them guess a password.

— Change passwords quickly if there is a breach. Attackers who steal data from companies often obtain password information. If you receive a notification from a company about a possible breach, change that password and any account that uses a similar password immediately.

— Consider a password manager. Most people have trouble keeping track of all their passwords. Consider storing your passwords and security questions in a password manager, an easy-to-access application that allows you store all your valuable password information in one place. Use a strong password to secure the information in your password manager.