TCC Students Learn to Protect Themselves Against Identity Theft

College students learn how not to become victims of identity theft

by Cam Holmes

Metro campus editor

The Connection

Identify theft is on the loose, and if you do not take steps to protect yourself, you could become a victim. Staff Attorney Iris Philbeck from the Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma spoke with Metro students about identity theft prevention.

The first step is limiting the amount of information you divulge. Do not submit personal information over the phone and cut down on commercial mailings and pre-approved credit card offers. To limit these, you can call 1-888-5OPT-OUT. You can also remove your name from spam e-mail lists by visiting www.e-mps.org.

If you have hard copies of personal information you want to throw away, it is a good idea to shred it first. There are also precautions you should take if your belongings become lost or stolen. If your credit card is stolen and you cancel it so that it may not be used, you should still take the time to fill out an incident report. Years from now, someone could use your name or account number to write bogus checks.

Do not carry your social security card in your wallet, because someone could take it and use it without permission.

"If you fear for the safety of your social security number, getting a copy of your credit report will show what accounts have been opened with your name," Philbeck said.

Statistics from www.ftc.gov indicate that young adults are surpassing seniors as the prime victims of identity theft. Warning signs that your identity might have been stolen include the following: not receiving normal monthly mail and bills, being denied credit for no apparent reason, received calls and letters from collection agencies when you know your bills are not overdue, and charges for goods and services you have not purchased.

If you are afraid you might be a victim, you can contact credit agencies Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union on their Web sites and close the accounts you believe have been fraudently tampered. Next, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by calling 1-877-ID-Theft, and file that complaint with the police in your community or the community where the ID theft took place. Finally, contact the Social Security Administration's Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.

Anyone can become a victim of identity theft. For more information and steps to protect yourself, visit www.ftc.gov/idetheft.

cammilia_holmes@mail.tulsacc.edu