| According to various studies, including the FTC | | | | Obtain and use a credit card and NOT a debit |
| complaint study, the 18-29 year old age bracket | | | | card. Credit cards may be pre-paid or have a low |
| continues to account for almost 30% of all | | | | limit, if you so choose. Debit cards are targets for |
| identity theft complaints. Nowadays, it's not | | | | identity thieves. Check your monthly statements |
| enough to send your college freshman to school | | | | as they come in and look for unexplained |
| with a laptop, cell phone, books and clean clothes. | | | | expenses. |
| A cross-cut shredder and a locking box large | | | | Never supply a phone, in your name, to someone |
| enough to hold a laptop, loaded with current | | | | else, i.e. a friend or roommate. The reason they |
| computer security software, are equally | | | | cannot get a phone is probably because they |
| important. Think about all of the sensitive and | | | | have bad credit to start in the first place. The |
| important information on our laptops these days. | | | | chances of being paid back are slim. |
| Losing a laptop is just as devastating as losing | | | | Never loan credit or debit card to a friend. Again, |
| your cell phone. I remember when I was in school | | | | the reason they cannot get a card is probably |
| I kept everything on my laptop and I knew if it | | | | because they have bad credit. Co-signing for any |
| were ever stolen or got lost I would have a | | | | cell phone, utility account, car loan or credit card |
| serious issue. These protective measures are | | | | puts you at major, unwarranted risk. Steer clear |
| critical steps in protecting your teen's belongings | | | | of this please. It normally always backfires. |
| and personal identifying information. It is also | | | | Never loan your driver's license or identification |
| imperative to talk to them about identity theft, | | | | card to anyone. They could use it as an ID card |
| scams and other rip-offs they might encounter | | | | when stopped by the police and you will be listed |
| while living on their own for the first time. The | | | | as the offender. |
| first credit card offer I received was in college. I | | | | Once you have established credit, check your |
| wish my parents had warned me because I gladly | | | | free credit reports annually. If you have never |
| accepted it and got into a little bit of trouble, | | | | established credit, you will be told there is no |
| mostly because I was uneducated about identity | | | | report. If there is a report, check it out and make |
| theft at the time. My parents ended up bailing me | | | | sure that none of the information is a result of |
| out and never did catch the thief who used my | | | | fraudulent activity. |
| information for a credit card of their own. Let's | | | | Parents: Talk with your college-bound student |
| just say someone got a semester's worth of | | | | about blogging, scams, and tricks con artists use |
| school books for free, on my dime! | | | | to get Social Security numbers, bank account or |
| The Identity Theft Resource Center offers these | | | | credit account numbers and other private |
| tips for college students of all ages: | | | | information including date and county of birth. |
| Keep your Social Security Card and number in a | | | | Identity thieves could use this information to |
| locked safe place. Do not carry it with you. Don't | | | | create a new identity or steal using the |
| share it with anyone without knowing why they | | | | information given to them. |
| need it. Most schools now use a student | | | | I would also highly recommend signing up for an |
| identification number instead of the SSN. Make | | | | identity theft protection program before you go |
| sure to always ask why that person needs your | | | | away to school. One that has 24/7 credit |
| SSN and inquire if you can use another form of | | | | monitoring, unlimited access to your credit report, |
| identification for the time being. | | | | an expense reimbursement and a full |
| Store your laptop in a locking security box when | | | | comprehensive restoration feature. Make sure |
| you are not in the room when you do not have it | | | | that the company will do all of the work on your |
| with you. Make sure not to leave it somewhere | | | | behalf in the event you do become a victim. |
| where you can't visible see it at all times. I would | | | | "All parents with teens or college-bound young |
| even deter from allowing people to borrow your | | | | adults need to make sure that their teens |
| laptop out of your site. | | | | understand identity theft," encourages Rex Davis, |
| Use your home address as the permanent mailing | | | | ITRC Operations Director and a parent of two. "I |
| address rather than a temporary address used | | | | sent my kids to college to help them with their |
| while in school. This will lessen the complications of | | | | futures. I would be remiss if I failed to educate |
| multiple addresses. Dorm and apartment | | | | them about the fastest growing crime today. A |
| mailboxes are not always locked and are easily | | | | college degree doesn't mean much if an identity |
| accessible by people who do not have your best | | | | thief has put your child's credit score in the |
| interest in mind. Keep in mind that mail theft is the | | | | garbage and affected their ability to get credit or |
| most common form of identity theft. | | | | a job. |