Identity Theft: Implications for a College Community

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Identity Theft Implications for a College
Community

• Richard P. Fiems, MA
• Associate Professor
• Chief of Public Safety
• Black Hawk College

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Program Content

• What is Identity Theft?
• How does it happen?
• What are the effects?
• What are the campus vulnerabilities?
• What do we do when it happens to one of our own?
• WE MUST APPRECIATE THAT WE WORK IN A TARGET RICH
  ENVIRONMENT!

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What is Identity Theft?

• Identity theft happens when someone steals little
  pieces of information about you.
• That would include such things as,
• Your name
• Your date of birth
• Your ATM PIN
• Your credit card numbers
• Your phone numbers
• Your SSN

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Who can be a victim?

• Employees
• Students
• Visitors
• Alumni
• Administrators
• Tiger Woods
• Anyone
• Identity thieves have no bias.

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How does identity theft happen?

• They can steal it from you.
• Records are accessible
• Bribing works too.
• Hacking is popular.
• Dumpster Diving and Trash Rips are effective.
• Credit reports can be obtained under the College
  name.
• Numbers can be obtained by electronic skimming

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How does identity theft happen?

• Wallets and purses are stolen all the time.
• Mail boxes can be hit very easily.
• A Change of Address Form can be done.
• Information can be stolen directly from your
  home.
• Scams can be done by thieves posing as legit
  businesses or government officials.
• How many book bags are lying around on your
  campus?

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What are the effects of identity thefts?

• A spending spree of big ticket items that can be
  easily sold.
• New credit card accounts in your name.
• Changing the address of your account.
• Auto loans taken out in your name.
• Phone or wireless services set up in your name.
• Debit cards and checks drawn on your account.

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What are the effects of identity theft?

• Bank accounts opened in your name so they can
  borrow against them.
• Bankruptcy filed in your name to avoid eviction
  and debts.
• Your name given to the police for arrests.
• GSL and PELL grant accounts set up and used all
  over campus.
• Phony educational information obtained.

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What are the vulnerabilities on a college campus?

• We are as involved in the gathering of
  information as any other segment of society.
• How much information is contained in the average
  college application?
• How much information is found on a student loan
  application?
• How much information is contained in student
  medical records?

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Vulnerabilities

• How much information is contained in a counseling
  office?
• How much information is stored in the files of
  the police or security department?
• How much is on file in the student housing
  office?
• How much of this information is filed, handled,
  controlled and transferred electronically?

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What about our biggest vulnerability?

• Our biggest risk as citizens AND the biggest risk
  to our students is the continued reliance on the
  SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
• They started being issued in 1936 and were never
  intended to be a unique identifier.
• Nevertheless it is the most frequently used
  record keeping number in the U.S.
• It is not up to the task.

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The Problems with the SSN

• It was not designed to be tamper proof.
• It is too easy to obtain.
• I have seen prison inmates with as many as 5
  different SSNs.
• The cards even say Not To Be Used For
  Identification.
• Laws are changing to prohibit the use of the SSN
  in Colleges (New York and Illinois)

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The Problems With the SSN

• Some States use the SSN as a drivers license
  number.
• The Federal Government uses it as a service
  number.
• An Al Qaeda terrorist has been charged with using
  21 stolen SSNs to set up phony lines of credit
  and obtain passports for other terrorists.

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The Problem with the SSN

• Students are used to giving out the number when
  asked.
• Some faculty even use it when posting grades.
• Changing the system is going to be difficult and
  costly.
• The SSN ties together too many other sources of
  information in its present form.

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Teach your students to ask these questions.

• Why do you need my SSN?
• How will you be using my SSN?
• How will you protect my SSN from being stolen or
  misused?
• What will happen if I dont give my SSN to you
  now?
• We need to break our reliance on the use of this
  number. It is not secure!

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What do we do if it happens to one of our own?

• There are four things that we need to help our
  students do right away.
• We, as adults, need to follow-up our actions in
  writing and make sure the student interests have
  been protected.
• Document what you do.
• Keep copies in your files and the students file.
• Here are the four steps.

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1. Place a fraud alert on the credit accounts.

• Call any one of these toll-free numbers.
• Equifax 1-800-525-6285
• Experian 1-800-397-3742
• TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
• The fraud alert prevents the opening of any
  accounts in the students name. As soon as the
  Credit Bureau confirms the alert they will all
  three send the student credit reports. They need
  to be reviewed carefully. Inaccuracies and fraud
  must be reported right away. Call them AND write
  them.

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2. Close any accounts that have been tampered
with.

• Credit accounts include banks, credit cards,
  utilities, ISPs, and phone companies.
• If your student opens new accounts have them use
  NEW PINs.
• If you find fraudulent charges ask the company to
  send their dispute forms right away.
• Checking accounts must be closed right away.
  (Call SCAN 1-800-262-7771)

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3. File a report with the police.

• The police report will be required to
  substantiate a claim of theft by fraud.
• Be sure to have the student get a copy of the
  report and make sure the report has a sequence or
  report number on it.
• If the police have a computer forensics
  investigator make sure that that person knows
  about the report too.

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4. File a complaint with the FTC.

• Sharing the information with the FTC will help to
  track down the people who do this for a living.
• The FTC data base is secure.
• The FTC also has an ID Theft Affidavit on their
  website at www.ftc.gov. It is a great tool for
  helping to get your credit fixed and the
  fraudulent use taken off your account and name.

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Other places to look for information.

• www.cpsr.org
• www.ftc.gov
• www.youngmoney.com/consumer_issues
• www.epic.org/epic/staff/hoofnagle/studentprivacy.h
  tml

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Questions?

• Thank you!
• www.bhc.edu
• www.fiemsr_at_bhc.edu