What is it?
According to The Identity Theft Resource Center (2007) “Identity Theft is a
crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personal identifying
information (PII) such as Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers
and uses them for their own personal gain. This is called ID Theft. It can start
with lost or stolen wallets, pilfered mail, a data breach, computer virus,
phishing, a scam, or paper documents thrown out by you or a business (dumpster
diving). This crime varies widely, and can include check fraud, credit card
fraud, financial identity theft, criminal identity theft, governmental identity
theft, and identity fraud” (¶ 2). College Students and Identity Theft
College students are very at risk for identity theft. The Us Department of
Education along with the Office of the Inspector General suggests that, “as a
student, you may be surprised to learn how many of your daily activities expose
you to this crime.
For example:
Do you use your personal computer for online banking transactions?
Do you use your personal computer to buy merchandise or purchase tickets for
travel, concerts, or other services?
Do you receive credit card offers in the mail? Do you discard these documents
before you shred of them?
Do you store personal information in your computer?
Do you use a cell phone?
Do you use your Social Security number for identification?
Do you have a student loan?” (US Department of Education, 2006, ¶ 5).
All of theses behaviors can put you at risk for identity theft.
Ways to Protect Yourself (Information Collected from the
Federal Trade Commission)
1. Shred everything and any think with your personal information on it.
2. Never give out your social security number or other personal information with
anyone unless you initiated the call and are fully aware and trust the person
with whom you are giving the number.
3. Check your credit report. Be aware of what is on it and make sure all the
accounts on the report were initiated by you. More Information?
To gain more information on identity theft or if you feel you are a victim
- call 581-7786 or stop by the Health Education Resource Center located in the
student services building at Eastern Illinois University and schedule a
Financial One-on-one peer education assessment today.
