Free concert tickets or hotel rooms may sound enticing, but think twice before you provide a contest sponsor with your private information; it may or may not be in safe hands.

Case in point: In Portland, Ore., more than 13,000 people had their information leaked when a radio station employee left data cartridges in a backpack in his car. The cartridges, which contained “personal information from listeners,” were stolen. The data included names, Social Security numbers, payment card information and bank account information for station contestants, as well as vendors and staff.

Sponsors of sweepstakes and contests have a responsibility to protect your information, but it’s imperative for consumers to watch for warning signs. Here are some ways to pursue prizes while protecting your data:

• Don’t give too much information. Provide enough detail to identify yourself, confirm your eligibility and be contacted if you win. Steer clear of contests that ask for a great deal of personal or financial information.

• Read the fine print. Companies that collect personal information are required to have a privacy statement on their websites or make a hard copy available upon request. Specific to sweepstakes and contests, laws vary from state to state, but companies should typically include a privacy statement with the official contest rules. This should tell you how your information is collected, used and potentially shared with third parties. If you can’t find the privacy statement – or if it says your data could be shared or repurposed – walk away.

• Stay vigilant. After you enter, if you have any privacy questions or concerns, contact the company’s privacy officer. (He or she should be listed on the privacy statement.) If the privacy contact doesn’t resolve your problem, contact California’s Office of the Attorney General. The agency maintains a list of data security breaches online.

Again, contest prizes can be alluring, but consider the risks. According to research from Javelin Strategy and Research, when Social Security numbers are leaked, losses average $5,100. And in one recent breach, The New York Times reported that the affected consumers spent an average of 20 hours working to resolve their matters.

Protect your time, your money – and your data; in the long run, they are the best prizes.

Keller Grover represents consumers who are victims of fraudulent business practices; our attorneys have played leading roles in important and complex consumer protection class actions benefiting hundreds of thousands of consumers nationwide. If you have experienced a privacy violation in a contest or sweepstakes, contact us at 866-663-3308 for a free consultation.