Posted On: July 19, 2023 by Farmers Trust & Savings Bank in: Financial Security
If you’re a college student, you’ll want to read this!
When you think of someone who might have his or her identity stolen, the last person you envision is yourself or one of your peers.
But that’s exactly who identity thieves target. College students are among the most vulnerable targets for several reasons. Look at these statistics to get an idea why:
- Nearly 49% of college students receive applications for credit cards on a daily or weekly basis.
- 30% of all students simply throw away received applications without destroying them.
- Almost 48% of all college students have had grades posted ‘anonymously’ by Social Security number.
- Approximately 30% of students rarely, if ever, balance their checking accounts or reconcile their credit cards statements.
Learn how to protect yourself from becoming a victim. With nearly 700,000 new victims each year, you can bet you’re a target. These simple steps could save you from becoming a victim of ID theft:
- Shred all credit card offers.
- Shred all pre-printed checks that come with your credit card statements that you aren’t planning to use.
- Monitor your credit card bills, credit union/bank and investment statements closely. Compare these to monthly statements from your bank and credit card companies.
- Don’t leave mail or personal financial records lying around your apartment or dorm room.
- Keep your Social Security number as private as possible. Request a randomly-generated student ID number instead.
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