To protect students from identity theft, Ball State decided not to use students' Social Security numbers on their identification cards.
On Monday, the Registrar's Office began distributing more than 25,000 new identification cards encoded with a randomly selected nine-digit number for students, faculty and staff.
Students can access their number on the Registrar's Web site, www.bsu.edu/registrar. Students will need to continue using their old identification cards until the new cards are activated on May 13, Nancy Cronk, associate director of registration and academic process, said.
Although Ball State has not had a problem with identity theft in the past, the university realized that it is a growing problem in society and decided to change the system last year, Cronk said.
"It will make students' Social Security numbers less accessible and less visible," Cronk said.
In 2003, the Department of Education reported that 9.9 million consumers were identity theft victims. Meanwhile, about 420 million Social Security numbers have been issued since 1936, according to the Social Security Administration's Web site.
"Rather than wait for it to happen," Cronk said, "there are ways we can improve our systems now."
Other Indiana public universities have already changed their systems.
Indiana University has not used Social Security numbers on its identification cards for seven years, Teresa Ray, IU Campus Card Services supervisor, said.
Instead, IU students use a 10-digit number, and next fall students will stop using their Social Security numbers for class registration.
Indiana State University switched to using a nine-digit number on May 19, 2003. Similar to Ball State's system, ISU students can access their number from the university's Web site.
University Police Chief Gene Burton said students need to be aware that some people are out to scam them by stealing their Social Security numbers.
"The university is very concerned about identity theft," Burton said. "Students need to be more careful. If the deal looks too good to be true, be careful."
Cronk said students can easily protect their Social Security numbers. For example, when students are asked to give their number, students can write it down instead of saying it out loud, she said.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice's Web site, students can follow four guidelines called SCAM to avoid identity theft. The letters stand for stingy, check, ask and maintain.
Students need to be "stingy" about giving out their personal information, especially over the phone.
Students should "check" their financial information, including credit card bills and bank statements, on a regular basis.
Students should "ask" for a copy of their credit report regularly. The report will show what accounts are open in the student's name. Whenever someone asks for a student's Social Security number, he or she should always ask why.
With the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 passed by Congress, identity theft is a federal crime. Identity thieves can face up to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Burton said students should notify the UPD about identity theft and his detectives will investigate the matter.
According to the Department of Justice's Web site, if students realize someone has stolen their identity, they should contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-ID-THEFT. The department recommends that students fill out a fraud report with the administration's Office of the Inspector General. The forms are online at www.ssa.gov/oig/guidelin.htm.
This week only...
Students living in residence halls can pick up their new IDs at their hall's desk.
Commuters and those living in University Apartments can pick up their IDs on the library's first floor.
Card pickup for faculty and staff is in the Art and Journalism Building near the bookstore.
Next week students can pick up their cards at the Registrar's Office.
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