The Vista NOTRE DAME ACADEMY*3535 W. SYLVANIA AVE.* TOLEDO, OH 43623* Vol. 67 Issue 5 * April 7, 2017
Teens at High Risk for Identity Theft Grace Collier Martha casually opened the letter from the bank, assuming it was a letter confirming her student loan for college in the fall. Suddenly, the words seemed to jump off the page “regret to inform you… denied… poor payment history on outstanding loans… high debt note.” She did not understand because she had no loans or credit cards. She did not go to college in the fall. Instead, she spent the next year dealing with problems caused by identity theft. It might seem like identity theft is a problem for parents or grandparents, but those under the age of 18 are 51 times more likely to become victims of a stolen identity, according to a report by Carnegie Mellon University (cylab.cmu.edu). According to TransUnion, a credit reporting agency, minors are especially targeted because they have a clean financial record and it may take years to be detected. Mrs. Amy Schaefer is an accountant who attended a training webinar where she learned more about identity theft prevention. “Take every step to protect your information and be diligent about reviewing your financial activity and changing your security logins,” Mrs. Schaefer said. There are several important steps to take to prevent your identity from being stolen. “The thieves rely on you to use the same username and password for multiple things and they rely on you to not change this information frequently. “It is highly recommended to have different usernames and passwords for the different things that require such securi-
ty, and to change your usernames and passwords frequently,” Mrs. Schaefer said. “Keep your personal information such as your social security number, bank account information, credit and debit card numbers, usernames and passwords private and confidential,” Mrs. Schaefer said. A second important precaution, according to Mrs. Schaefer, is to only shop on trusted web sites and at reputable stores, because thieves can gain access to your username and password by hacking into a less secure database that stores this information of yours. The thieves will then try your username and password wherever they can to “gain access” to your banking and credit cards. A third step to take is to frequently review your financial transactions, such as banking activity and credit Ten habits that regularly put teens at risk of identity theft: 1) Sharing personal information on social media sites. 2) Sharing media devices. 3) Using public Wi-Fi 4) Using the same password for multiple sites. 5) Sharing passwords. 6) Leaving a phone or computer unlocked. 7) Not updating anti-virus programs. 8) Posting images that show too much about yourself. 9) Paying for online games. 10) Throwing away sensitive documents. Source: identityprotection.com
Senior Elycia Patino uses her debit card daily. Photo by Lauren Sasala card activity, to make sure all the transactions are legitimate and correct, Mrs. Schaefer said. “I always make sure to be careful when I use a card,” senior Mikayla Grajczyk said. In an article from identityprotection.com, identity theft expert Mr. Robert Chappell, Jr., says “Teens are better targets because it can take years for them to notice if their information has been stolen. “Victims might not discover that their information is being misused until they apply for student loans.” This means it is even more important to keep an eye on one's personal information and avoid certain factors that can put your identity at risk. Identity theft should not be something that one fears, but something to take measures against to prevent. “Don't think it can't happen to you,” Mrs. Schaefer said.
In This Issue: Page 6 Sr. Gail Profile
Page 5 Diversity on TV
Page 2 Rockethon