If you have a college student packing up to live on or near campus this fall, now's a good time to talk about preventing fraud while they are away from home. Better Business Bureau recommends that they take steps to protect themselves from identity theft and other fraud on campus.
About 4 percent of identity theft reported to the Federal Trade Commission last year involved people 19 or under - a total of 15,496 complaints. The number jumped to 15 percent for those age 20-29, for a total of 58,904 complaints. There are a few common points of access that scammers might use to steal a student's personal information.
First, students should be protective of their mail. School mailboxes are not always secure and often can be accessed easily in a dorm or apartment. To combat sticky fingers in the mail room, have sensitive mail sent to a permanent address, such as a parent's home or a post office box.
Important documents should be stored under lock and key. This includes your Social Security card, passport and bank and credit card statements. Shred any paper documents that have sensitive financial information rather than just tossing them out. Shred any credit card offers that come in the mail, and students should avoid lending a credit or debit card to anyone, even if they are a friend.
Students should also protect their student IDs the same as credit or debit cards. Student IDs are commonly used by students to access dorms, libraries, gyms and other college facilities. In recent years, the capabilities of campus IDs have expanded in ways that allow them to act as debit or credit cards.
Today, if a student's ID is stolen, the thief may have access to a rich variety of personal and financial information. Even if the student does not have a lot of assets, a relatively clean credit record could be of interest to scammers.
Students should also be wary of threats online. They should make sure their computer, laptop or tablet has up-to-date antivirus and anti-spyware software. Updates and patches to their computer's operating system or browsing software should always be updated, which will help keep the computer safe from new schemes or hacks by identity thieves online.
Checking credit or debit card statements closely for any suspicious activity should be a regular practice. The sooner any potential fraud is detected, the less damage will be done in the long run. Getting statements online can be more secure, but students still need to carefully read the statements. When shopping on unfamiliar websites, students should check the company out first with BBB. Look for a BBB Accredited Business seal along with other trust seals; click on the seals to confirm that they are legitimate. Credit reports should be checked at least once a year with all three reporting bureaus for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies. This can be done for free by visiting annualcreditreport.com.
For more tips you can trust, visit midmobbb.org or call 573-886-8965. Consumers may obtain BBB Business Profiles or post Customer Reviews by going to midmobbb.org.
Sean Spence is the Mid-Missouri regional director for Better Business Bureau.