With young adults making up the largest percentage of the population affected by Identity Theft, it’s safe to say this is an issue college students should be concerned about. Though spending time online is a large part of college life for both studying and socializing and may feel safe, some habits can leave you vulnerable to identity theft.
While you’re probably never going to give up your social accounts, do exercise caution when posting sensitive information, like your location or birthdate, and when joining the wi-fi networks at your school or the local coffee shop. This article by KGW offers several helpful tips for students that can help protect you from ID theft at school, at home and wherever else you may go:
Here’s a summary of the 8 tips offered by iovation:
- The Internet is forever; think about future employers, including those coveted summer internships.
- Don’t add your address to your Facebook profile.
- Don’t broadcast your location; checking-in is fine, just do it sparingly.
- Don’t “friend” people you don’t know.
- Guard your Social Security number. Always. It’s like a winning lottery ticket for a scammer, fraudster or identity thief.
- Don’t use the same password everywhere. Consider using an “all-in-one” password manager.
- Beware of emails phishing for personal information. Never give credit card info, usernames, passwords or other personal info.
- Be Wi-Fi savvy and safe. Free Wi-Fi comes at the cost of security. Unsecured networks are gold mines for identity thieves.
These tips can help you and your money stay secure, but even being diligent may not be able to help you avoid identity theft. If you are concerned, consider an Identity Theft Protection Plan. These types of plans can help you resolve instances of identity theft more quickly with enhanced monitoring and insurance for lost funds.
