How to Prevent Identity Theft While Away at College
If your child is on his way to college, you have likely armed him with a laptop, a credit card, a debit card or other source of income. But a trip to college can leave your child susceptible to identity theft. It is therefore extremely important to not only leave your child with plenty of well wishes, but a plan of action to prevent identity theft, as well.
Here are ways your college student can help protect himself from identity theft:
- Lock the door room door. This can’t be overstated, as this single piece of advice can prevent most thefts while away at college. Many college students inadvertently leave their dorm room door open, even if it’s just for a few minutes to greet a friend or fetch their meal, and find their belongings – and often their identity – stolen.
- Mark all personal property clearly. Personalizing your laptop in a visible way is a great way to deter theft, as a thief won’t want to be caught with an easily identifiable laptop.
- Don’t leave your personal computer or laptop vulnerable; use password protection. Your laptop should be protected with a password, as to prevent another individual from quickly logging on and obtaining your personal information.
- Watch what you reveal on social networking sites.– Many identity thieves look for individuals who inadvertently share personal information with others on social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace. As such, never share your birth date, address or any other information that can be used against you.
- Write down your laptop’s serial number, make and model and keep it in a safe place so you can provide this information to campus police if your laptop should be stolen. You may also be able to file an insurance claim for your stolen laptop, and you will need this information to do so.
- Get a shredder and use it. One of the easiest ways for an identity thief to obtain your personal information is by simply looking through the trash. It is therefore always best to shred any personal or financial information, such as bank and credit card statements.
- Ask the college about network security and learn how to protect yourself and your personal identity found on your computer.
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