Is your bank selling the world your secrets?

By Sarah Lai Stirland

Selling your financial information was, and still is, perfectly legal. Banks share private data -- everything from social security numbers to credit card balances to the amount of each check that you write -- all the time. And this not only makes you the target of telemarketing campaigns, it also raises your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft,in which a criminal uses your personal information to open new accounts in your name and steal your money. Now, a new privacy law gives you the power to limit the information free-for-all. But the burden's on you to tell banks to keep your dealings confidential. Here, questions about the privacy act and answers that will keep your money safe.

How does the new law help me?

What if I tossed my privacy policies?

Is my credit history public too?

Are there loopholes I need to worry about?

[Sorry, because of the contract I signed, I can't post the whole article up. But the original article answered all of the above questions. For more info, go to: www.privacyrightsnow.com. ]