2008 Woodie Awards
Crooks are on A mission
College students can be prime candidates for stolen identities
By: David Veselenak
Issue date: 1/7/08 Section: News
Williamsburg senior Lindsey White was at a loss when her identity was stolen.
White said thousands of dollars were taken from her checking account without her permission nearly a year ago.
"I was so overwhelmed," she said. "I didn't know how to handle the situation."
Identity theft, such as stolen debit or credit cards, can amount to massive bills for students.
White said she did not know who stole her identity or how it got into his or her possession. But by the time she stopped the transactions in February, the thief had racked up thousands of dollars in debt.
"I lost $2,000," White said. "At one point, they were taking $70 or $80 at a time."
She located the company, Prism Communication Inc., after seeing posts on forums online that described situations similar to hers.
"I was reading testimonies online," she said. "And that's how I found out (they were taking money from me)."
A growing trend
Identity theft has become a fast growing crime across the country.
More than 9 million consumers had their identities stolen in 2003, with more than $5 billion in costs to victims, according to the U.S. Department of Education
Students are one of the most at-risk groups to have their identities stolen, according to the department. Because of the influx of credit card applications and use of Social Security numbers to access personal data, students are more vulnerable than most consumers.
Central Michigan University Police Chief Stan Dinius said students shouldn't worry about getting their identities stolen. Identity theft is not a major problem on campus, he said.
"I don't think we have had one this semester," he said. "Usually, it takes place off-campus."
Dinius said if identity theft happens on campus, it involves wallets being left at places like Rose Arena or residence hall burglary.
Dinius also said if students do have their identity stolen, they can call CMU to report the occurrence.
White said thousands of dollars were taken from her checking account without her permission nearly a year ago.
"I was so overwhelmed," she said. "I didn't know how to handle the situation."
Identity theft, such as stolen debit or credit cards, can amount to massive bills for students.
White said she did not know who stole her identity or how it got into his or her possession. But by the time she stopped the transactions in February, the thief had racked up thousands of dollars in debt.
"I lost $2,000," White said. "At one point, they were taking $70 or $80 at a time."
She located the company, Prism Communication Inc., after seeing posts on forums online that described situations similar to hers.
"I was reading testimonies online," she said. "And that's how I found out (they were taking money from me)."
A growing trend
Identity theft has become a fast growing crime across the country.
More than 9 million consumers had their identities stolen in 2003, with more than $5 billion in costs to victims, according to the U.S. Department of Education
Students are one of the most at-risk groups to have their identities stolen, according to the department. Because of the influx of credit card applications and use of Social Security numbers to access personal data, students are more vulnerable than most consumers.
Central Michigan University Police Chief Stan Dinius said students shouldn't worry about getting their identities stolen. Identity theft is not a major problem on campus, he said.
"I don't think we have had one this semester," he said. "Usually, it takes place off-campus."
Dinius said if identity theft happens on campus, it involves wallets being left at places like Rose Arena or residence hall burglary.
Dinius also said if students do have their identity stolen, they can call CMU to report the occurrence.
