Every fall, as millions of students get ready to head off to college identity thieves lie in wait for them. Already significant targets, college students comprised more than a third of all identity theft victims last year. Identity thieves frequently target college students because they seldom take protective steps, because of the large number of individuals with access to their personal information, and because an increasingly aggressive credit card industry bombards them with free offers and easy-to-obtain credit cards.
To protect themselves against identity theft, students and parents can use these tips, offered by LifeLock CEO Todd Davis. LifeLock is the nation's first identity theft prevention service for individual consumers.
1. Purchasing and using a shredder is a must. Shred everything which can identify you before discarding it. Everything...no exceptions.
2. Residence hall rooms and student apartments often have lots of folks in them, including some relative strangers. That's why it makes sense to password protect computer files and secure documents which include your personal information. Remember, it takes only one untrustworthy person to steal your identity and cause you years of trouble.
3. Students should request and review their credit reports each and every year. They can get one report a year at no cost, and identify any existing or potential credit-related problems they may have.
4. In the most recent three years, more than two hundred universities, colleges, school districts and student lending organizations have lost personal information on nearly 9 million students, faculty, and staff. Despite increases in institutional security, social security numbers and other critical identifiers are lost or stolen at a steady pace. Thus, it makes sense to take steps to make sure you have protected your identity in the event your information becomes vulnerable to identity thieves.
5. Get yourself taken off of all mailing lists, especially those offering credit cards and merchandise. It is incredibly easy for thieves to steal these mailings from your mailbox or your trash and fill them out so they get the credit cards and/or merchandise and you get the bills and the angry creditors. Of course, using a shredder will prevent theft from your trash and a lock on your mailbox will offer you some degree of security.
6. Place fraud alerts...they're free...on your personal information. Just contact the 3 major credit bureaus and renew every three months to assure that credit agencies will contact you before opening a new account in your name or changing information...like an address... in a current account. Or, you can hire a credit protection agency, some of which offer monetary guarantees against identity theft, to request and maintain fraud alerts for you.
Identity thieves are persistent. They are constantly attempting to acquire the confidential information they need to assume your identity, but if you are vigilant and if you take some simple steps to protect yourself, you are far less likely to become one of their victims.
Identity theft is the fastest growing criminal activity in the 20th Century, replacing illegal drug sales.
How BIG is this Problem?
Banks, credit card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive information all report “break-ins”through Trojan viruses or other online hacking methods – resulting in the loss of millions of pieces of information. Instances of lost information are employees selling it and other lax security measures resulting in thieves having access to your identity.
Thieves Want
- Your Name - Date of Birth - Home Address - Phone Numbers - Social Security Number - Driver’s License Number - Credit Card Numbers - CW2 Security Code (the number on the back of your credit card) - Your Credit Report - ATM Cards - Telephone Calling Cards - Mortgage Details
Where Are They Getting Your Information?
- Banks - Credit-Reference Agencies - Retailers - Credit Card Networks - Data-Brokerage Companies - Payment Processing Companies - Phone Companies - Schools - Your Employer - Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments - Government Agencies
- Making charges to your existing credit cards - Opening new credit cards in your name - Having phone or utilities turned on - Withdrawing money from your existing bank accounts - Employment purposes - Driver’s Licenses - Tax Fraud - Social Service benefits - Student loans - Business or Personal loans - Health care - Mortgage loans/leases - Auto loans - Using your ID when caught committing a crime
How Can You Protect Yourself?
- Keep a photocopy of your credit cards, bank account numbers and investment account numbers in a safe place - Keep your credit card receipts - Put a “fraud alert” on all your credit reports - If you apply for credit and the card doesn’t arrive on time, call the card issuer - Choose difficult PIN numbers or passwords. (Don’t use birth dates, your mother’s maiden name, etc.) - Never give personal information to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it - Shred personal information - Don’t use the ATM machine if someone is watching you - Pay attention to what’s going on around you – cell phones often have cameras in them. If someone is standing by you with a cell phone while you're entering a PIN number, block their view - Review your bills each month. If there’s something you don’t remember, call the creditor. - Check your credit report at least once a year - Store your cancelled checks safely. - Don’t leave your purse in plain sight when driving - Keep your valuables locked in the trunk or glove box when driving - Make all personal information on your computer password protected - Don’t carry information about your PIN numbers, passwords and account numbers in your purse or wallet
Warning Signs that Your Identity Has Been Stolen:
- A loan application is denied, or you’re refused extended credit requests - You are contacted by a debt-collection agency - Your purse or wallet has been stolen, or your house broken into - Unfamiliar activity on your credit report
What to do if it Happens to You:
- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police - Contact your bank, credit card and other credit extending companies and report the theft - Close accounts - Contact the credit-reporting companies - Have fraudulent activity removed immediately and monitor your credit report every 90 days for the next year - Put everything in writing - File a report with the Federal Trade Commission - Change passwords on your existing accounts and create new ones for new accounts
Identity theft is real. There are no guarantees you can keep your information safe, by taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you can minimize your chances of having an “identity crisis”.
Both Daniel Z. Kane & Sintilia Miecevole are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Daniel Z. Kane has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business, College Education and Education. Daniel Z. Kane is a university dean who advises students on degree programs and. Daniel Z. Kane's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
Sintilia Miecevole has sinced written about articles on various topics from Perfumes, Cosmetic Surgery and Credit Cards. Sintilia Miecevole, Administrator of is an expert in the field of college information. Be sure to visit. Sintilia Miecevole's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.