A new study found that more than 11 million people became victims of identity theft in 2009, with young adults ages 18 through 24 taking the longest to detect their identity had been stolen.
The report, released by Javelin Strategy and Research, said the average cost for young adults, who typically took longer to detect an identity theft, was $1,156, roughly five times more than the amount lost by other age groups.
Identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission, occurs when someone uses another person's identifying information to commit fraud or other crimes. Last year, the number of identity theft cases went up from an average of 9 million victims per year to 11 million.
At Ball State, the Office of Student Legal Services sees numerous cases of identity theft each year, SLS attorney John Connor said.
Connor said it's important to know what documents to bring to college and how to keep them safe, especially when sharing a room or a house with other students. Tips from Connor include always locking the door and using a paper shredder for bills and receipts.
"Really sensitive documents, perhaps they should keep at home in a safe," he said. "You are in a vulnerable environment and you just need to exercise good judgment."
Being informed about phishing and other scams is also important, he said. Phishing involves being asked to provide a username and password to an unsecure website or user.
"One of the reasons that students respond to [suspicious e-mail] is because they are trusting," Connor said.
Students have become accustomed to using e-mail for everything, including notifications from their bank. What might look like an e-mail from your bank could be a form of spam, he said. If students have any questions about a suspicious e-mail, they should contact their bank in person.
"It takes effort to get to the local bank, but that's unfortunately what they need to do," Connor said.
Once a person becomes a victim of identity theft, they have to file a police report, notify creditors and dispute any unauthorized transactions, according to the FTC.
Sometimes it becomes difficult to report identity theft, Connor said.
"What I see a lot in here are situations where a student's identity is being used by relatives," he said. "One of the first things I tell a student when they have their identity stolen is to go to the police."
He said the only way students can prevent identity theft is being well informed. Because of the poor economy, identity theft is on the rise, he said.
"It happens. Students come here on a regular basis," Connor said. "Don't share information over the Internet. I can't tell you how many students have been in here that have responded to phishing attacks."
These items can help protect important personal information:
Apartment and utility payments:
Use a pen designed to prevent check washing when writing important checks.
Flash drives:
An encryption utility can protect sensitive files.
Bills:
A paper shredder can be used to ensure no one uses a credit card or other documents that have been thrown away.
Documents:
A locking file cabinet can be used to store files, passports and social security cards.
Computer:
Students should have a good password on their computer. Students should also record the make, model and serial number of their laptop when leaving it at home.
Renter's insurance:
The best option for students that have valuable objects is renter's insurance, which would help them recover faster if something is stolen.
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