By Greg Marrow, Chief Information Officer, Durham County

Greetings, Durham! I’m Greg Marrow, Chief Information Officer for Durham County.

This week is Data Privacy and Identity Theft Awareness Week, a good time to provide critical reminders that help keep your personal information safe. As we do more activities online—from paying bills, accessing healthcare to applying for services and purchasing products—protecting your data is more important than ever.

What Is Identity Theft?
Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information—like your Social Security number, bank account details, or login credentials—and uses it without your permission. They might open fraudulent accounts, make unauthorized purchases, or access services in your name.

Protect Yourself
You can reduce your risk by taking a few simple steps.

1. Use strong, unique passwords and turn on multi-factor authentication whenever it's available.
2. Watch out for emails, calls, or texts asking for personal information or creating urgency. These are often scams trying to get you to respond. Always pause before proceeding.
3. A general rule of mine is to never give out any personal information to anyone online, nor respond to any electronic request for personal information. My bank knows who I am. They don't need me to tell them who I am.
4. Check your bank statements and credit reports regularly for anything suspicious.
5. Keep your devices updated with the latest security patches.
6. Be mindful about what you share online and post on social media. Personal information and social media is a no no.

Keep Your Guard Up 

Scammers exploit current events to trick people. For example, with this week's winter storm, scammers are sending fake notices claiming to be from Duke Energy. Remember: legitimate companies won't ask you to verify personal information through unsolicited messages.

How Durham County Protects You
Durham County takes your privacy seriously. We continuously invest in technology, training, and security practices to protect your information. Our team monitors systems around the clock, keeps software updated, trains employees on cybersecurity, controls who can access sensitive data, and maintains plans to respond quickly if incidents occur. Protecting your data is ongoing work, and we regularly evaluate our practices to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Working Together
While no system is completely risk-free, staying informed and practicing good security habits makes a real difference. By staying vigilant and continuing to invest in secure systems, we can protect your personal information and maintain your trust in County services.

For more information about identity theft prevention and recovery, visit identitytheft.gov. The FTC is hosting several free webinars during Identify Theft Awareness Week that are available on their website here.

Please continue to be remain aware and vigilant.