Happy Wednesday! In this week's Big I Buzz, we are sharing steps to protect your identity during the holiday shopping season and details on this year's Emerging Leaders Annual Fundraiser. 

Concern for Personal, Financial Data Pervades Holiday Shopping Season

In the midst of holiday shopping, a survey by Iris Powered by Generali reveals that 73% of shoppers fret over their personal and financial data security. Past breaches heavily influence 83% of shoppers' decisions about where to shop, with 58% favoring businesses offering ID protection. Acrisure Partner suggests enhancing insurance policies with identity theft endorsements, distinct from personal cyber insurance detailed by American Family Insurance. These endorsements aid in credit recovery but don't cover fraudulent charges, while some home and renters policies offer limited coverage. NortonLifeLock Inc. advises consumers to follow seven crucial steps to protect yourself: 

1. Monitor for fraudulent activity during the holidays

2. Don't shop using public Wi-Fi

3. Protect financial details

4. Use strong passwords for retailer accounts

5. Learn to spot scams

6. Only shop on secure sites

7. Only shop with reputable online retailers

Read the full article here.

2023 Emerging Leaders Holiday Fundraiser

This year the IIAW Emerging Leaders annual fundraiser aims to support UW Health University Hospital's ICU by providing vital "memory makers" for children and young adults who are losing their family members and receiving end-of-life care. Proceeds from this event will go toward purchasing these memory makers - heart recorders that audibly capture a loved one's heartbeat, encased within stuffed animals or hand molds for children to cherish as lasting memories. Due to dwindling funds and a lack of expected grants, the unit's ability to provide these memory makers is diminishing, potentially limiting offerings to just heart recorders or hand molds ad a few more dollars for stuffed animals, even a $5 donation can significantly impact these crucial offerings. Given the unit's average of one loss daily, these memory makers serve as a small yet powerful source of comfort during highly emotional times. The goal for the fundraiser is to raise $500 for the Trauma and Life Support ICU at UW Hospital to fund these Memory Makers for one year! Click here to donate. 

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