PEA RIDGE — A presentation on protecting business and personal information will be presented by the Regional Chamber of Commerce Serving Northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri at the Pea Ridge Emergency Services Building. The presentation will be from noon until 1 p.m. and again from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Participants at the noon hour are encouraged to bring a sack lunch.

Safeguarding sensitive data in your files and on your computers is just plain good business. After all, if that information falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to fraud or identity theft.

To help local businesses protect their customer's information and comply with federal guidelines, the Regional Chamber will host the free presentation and explain what rules apply to their business or organization. Information offered will include practical tips on spotting the red flags of identity theft, taking steps to prevent the crime and mitigating the damage it inflicts. Attendees will also learn how to put in place a written Identity Theft Prevention Program.

Steven Spradling, a noted speaker in the area of identity theft will be the presenter. He urges every business owner or manager to consider the cost of a data breach at his company. The same risk applies to churches, non-profits and governmental agencies.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission began enforcement of The Red Flags Rule on Aug. 1, 2009. This requires many businesses and organizations to implement written Identity Theft Prevention Program designed to detect the warning signs - or "red flags" - of identity theft in their day-to-day operations.

For more information, contact the Regional Chamber at 451-0599.

Community, Pages 6 on 09/16/2009