Identity theft can’t happen to me, can it? Well, if you think it can’t happen to you, think again!
     For many students at Skyline College, identity theft is far detached from the stresses of school and social life. It is during these blossoming years in a student’s college life, that there is no better time to open credit cards and new accounts.
     It is also the perfect time for the criminal specializing in identity theft to utilize the influx of credit inquiries and other personal information floating around for criminal purposes.
     Identity theft is the crime involving the use of a person’s personal information for, but not limited to, the opening various types of accounts (i.e., checking, savings, credit), allocation of loans or other funding, commit crimes, or assuming the victim’s identity altogether, usually without the person’s knowledge.
     According to USA Today report, nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households were victimized within the past 5 years. The report stated that there were 9.9 million victims in the last year alone, with an average out of pocket loss to victims of $500 with a combined total loss to victims totaling up to $5 billion. Businesses lost $47.6 billion in total combined losses.
     So how do these criminals get away with this? Identity theft criminals are masters at locating documents with personal information on it. Items you may have considered junk that has accumulated in your wallet or purse, or credit card or bank statements that you are rotating out of your personal file from the previous year are food for these identity predators.
     Also keep in mind of the location of your bills around your house, in the event that you have heavy foot traffic in and out of your home or bedroom. Make sure they are in a secure and ultimately private place that only you know about. People you think you know, may not be who they appear to be, and you may not find out until after the fact that the act has occured.
     Staying one step ahead of the game is crucial. Shred all you documents and ATM receipts, statements and bills when disposing of them. Never give out your personal information such as your bank account numbers, credit card numbers and especially your social security number to parties of non-essential use.
     Make it a habit to obtain a credit report from one of the three top credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You are entitled to your first report free. Review your credit report history when you receive it and challenge in writing any fraudulent charges that may appear on your account. Ask the credit reporting agency to place a Fraud Alert on your account, should you suspect any fraudulent activity. This in turn will alert all the agencies and will require them to contact you prior to any new accounts being opened.
     Remember that just because you are a student, doesn’t mean that you can’t be a victim. Stay alert and use common sense when divulging personal information and documents.
All information from USA Today.