2008 Woodie Awards
They want your name and they'll take your credit
Chris Yow
Issue date: 9/1/05 Section: News
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In the past two years, there have been five reports of identity theft on the campus of JSU. Investigator Mike Denton with the Jacksonville Police Department calls this type of crime the "fastest growing crime in America."
Stealing the identity of another person has never been hard, but, with the popularity of the Internet over the past decade, it has become easier than ever to commit this type of crime.
Making the victimization worse is the fact that the crime has no boundaries. A criminal can get personal information on people that don't live in the same state they do; or even the same country.
To help the public understand the risks involved with identity theft and how to avoid being a victim, the U.S. Department of Justice has established an easy to remember system you can use to minimize your risk.
Just remember the word "SCAM."
S: Be stingy. Don't give your personal information out to anyone unless you trust them. This goes for any situation you might find yourself in. As a college student, you will be bombarded with credit card offers and telephone solicitations. Make sure you trust the company and don't give out personal information over the phone - especially not a cell phone.
C: Check your financial information regularly. One of the easiest ways for a criminal to steal your information is to take it from bank and credit card statements. Watch these items closely. If one doesn't arrive when expected, call the company and have your account watched.
Credit card companies and banks lose money when identity fraud occurs, so they should be willing to help you prevent it.
A: Ask periodically for a copy of your credit report. On June 1 of this year, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 went into effect in Alabama. It requires all major credit reporting agencies to allow everyone to get their report free once a year. In order to check this, go to www.annualcreditreport.com, call (877) 322-8228, or mail a request to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281.
Stealing the identity of another person has never been hard, but, with the popularity of the Internet over the past decade, it has become easier than ever to commit this type of crime.
Making the victimization worse is the fact that the crime has no boundaries. A criminal can get personal information on people that don't live in the same state they do; or even the same country.
To help the public understand the risks involved with identity theft and how to avoid being a victim, the U.S. Department of Justice has established an easy to remember system you can use to minimize your risk.
Just remember the word "SCAM."
S: Be stingy. Don't give your personal information out to anyone unless you trust them. This goes for any situation you might find yourself in. As a college student, you will be bombarded with credit card offers and telephone solicitations. Make sure you trust the company and don't give out personal information over the phone - especially not a cell phone.
C: Check your financial information regularly. One of the easiest ways for a criminal to steal your information is to take it from bank and credit card statements. Watch these items closely. If one doesn't arrive when expected, call the company and have your account watched.
Credit card companies and banks lose money when identity fraud occurs, so they should be willing to help you prevent it.
A: Ask periodically for a copy of your credit report. On June 1 of this year, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 went into effect in Alabama. It requires all major credit reporting agencies to allow everyone to get their report free once a year. In order to check this, go to www.annualcreditreport.com, call (877) 322-8228, or mail a request to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281.