By Joseph Hughes

We've all seen the commercial: An adorable elderly woman – your mother or grandmother, perhaps – is innocuously cleaning out her above-ground pool as her husband sits in the background.

But the voice we hear is not hers; instead, it comes from a man who is wanted in three states but isn't concerned because he's got a new drivers license. And a new truck with mud flaps depicting women wearing …

… you get the picture.

Of course identity theft is no laughing matter. But we laugh anyway. And now, thanks to an informative Web site assembled by the U.S. Department of Education, students, faculty and staff at colleges and universities nationwide – including Ohio University – can learn how to prevent the damaging crime.

To those unfamiliar with the growing trend, identity theft is the fastest growing consumer crime in the nation. By "stealing your identity" – obtaining such personal information as identification, bank and credit card statements and Social Security Number – thieves use an individual's name and reputation for their own financial benefit. Identity theft costs victims more than $5 billion annually.

How pervasive has identity theft become? The Department of Education reports that nearly 10 million people fell victim to identity theft in 2003. The number, unfortunately, is mounting.

Students, the Web page reports, may be even more vulnerable to identity theft because of the availability of their personal data – and how they handle it. The site references a recent national survey of college students, which revealed that:

• Nearly half of all college students received credit card applications daily or weekly.
• Nearly one-third rarely reconciles their checking and credit balances.
• Nearly half of students have had grades posted by Social Security Number.

Each of the above factors makes students potential victims of identity theft. But everyone, including students, faculty and staff, may be surprised to know exactly how exposed they are to the crime. Do you, for instance:

• Use a computer to bank online?
• Use a computer to purchase merchandise or tickets?
• Shred credit card offers before throwing them away?
• Keep personal information on your computer?
• Have a cell phone?
• Use your Social Security Number as identification?
• Have a student loan?

If you answered "yes" to even one of these questions – which you most likely did – you are at risk. How can you avoid becoming a victim? The Department of Education's Web site recommends the following (there are more tips available online):

• Memorize your Social Security Number and passwords. Don't record your password on papers you carry with you.
• Shred pre-approved credit applications and other financial documents before discarding them.
• Order credit reports every year from each of the major credit reporting agencies and thoroughly review them for accuracy.
• Never give personal or financial information over the phone or Internet unless you initiated the contact.
• Do not download files sent to you by strangers or click on hyperlinks from people you don't know.

By following tips such as those provided by the Department of Education, you'll be well on your way to keeping a multistate criminal from purchasing scandalous mud flaps in your name, to say nothing of the peace of mind that comes with avoiding identity theft.

Related Links:

• Federal Identity Theft Web site