Learning to Avoid Identity Theft

Brian Kelly, information security officer at Quinnipiac University, has some advice for college students looking to prevent identify theft:

•  Secure your e-mail: Campus e-mail inboxes are often easily accessed in a residence hall or apartment. Don’t leave your laptop or mobile phone “unlocked.” Be sure to use a password or PIN to protect your information and “lock” your system.

• Don't share too much on social networks: Identity fraud was twice as common for people who have been on social networking sites for five years or more. Javelin research found people not using privacy settings on their networks were at a higher risk of exposing crucial information to fraudsters. Information students often share publically such as name, address, hometown and high school attended can all be key pieces of information needed to commit identity fraud.

• Important electronic documents should be securely stored: This includes social security, passports, bank account and credit card numbers. Passwords protect documents and encrypt personal information on your laptop.

• Never share your password with anyone: Passwords are like toothbrushes, you shouldn’t share either with a friend or roommate.

• Make sure your computer software is up to date: Download updates to your Operating System, installed applications, antivirus and spyware software on a regular basis to keep your personal documents and information safe. All operating systems (yes, even Apple) and all software requires regular patching. Hackers use vulnerabilities in software such as Adobe or older web browsers to compromise your laptop or mobile device.