Most students in college are typically focused on their education, social life, what to do with the new found/fond responsibilities that come with living away from home, and usually not identity theft. Many college students do not have a large history of transactions; making theft transactions harder to detect and college students a great target.
People have been reporting stolen personal data through credit card fraud and the Federal Trade Commission states, "...there was a 20 percent increase in 2017." The rate of growth in which theft is happening is unfortunate, but only emphasizes how college students should really pay more attention to how they make purchases, and what information they put out on which platforms.
College is a very exciting time which helps prepare young adults for the real world. But with the lack of real world experience in certain areas, both recently graduated and currently enrolled college students are fit to be prime targets. "Reports of student loan fraud surged more than 120 percent from a year earlier," according to the Federal Trade Commission. One's identity is extremely important, so college students should learn how to protect themselves early on.
How to Take Precautions and Keep Your Identity Safe
1. Keep Your Number a Secret: Social security, credit card number, account number, ATM codes, passwords of any sort. Do not keep the social security card with the drivers license together at any time.
2. Take Extra Precaution When Sending Important Documents: The Better Business Bureau urges college students to have any important documents sent either directly to their parents house or the post office itself. Dorms and college owned apartments are not safe.
3. Receive Transaction Alerts: One will be notified if any changes are made to the account or any "odd" purchases are being made.
4. Avoid Paying Online While Using Public Wifi: Public wifi can easily be hacked into and is just not safe. Ones confidential information is up for anybody to grab.
5. Be Savvy When Posting on Social Media: Sharing too much information about one's life is typically where a college student goes wrong. Identity fraudsters can use that information to connect the dots and hack into accounts and/or get past security questions of important websites.
https://www.consumerreports.org/identity-theft/college-students-face-risk-of-identity-theft/
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