The USPS® Corporate Information Security Office reminds employees to safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII) collected from customers for passport and PO Box applications.
PII is information, such as an individual’s name, Social Security number, and biometric records, which, alone or in combination with other identifying information (date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, etc.), can be used to trace an individual’s identity.
Employees should follow these practices when scanning or copying customer data for passport or PO Box applications:
n Make only the required number of copies needed. Shred copies made in error.
n Make sure there’s no PII information on paper recycled and used as a scratch pad. Shred scratch paper with PII.
n Keep all PII documents within the customer’s sight when you’re making copies. Return original documents to the customer.
The Privacy Act of 1974 includes protections for personal information that agencies maintain in a file, database, or program. Employees have a duty to safeguard and protect PII from unauthorized disclosure that can lead to an information security breach.
For additional information and/or questions, please contact Chris Lind at 202-268-2298 or via email at clind@usps.gov in the Privacy Office.
— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Officer, 1-9-14
