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Show AggieLife Page 8 $900: average cost- of BErSIVIARTER 50%: BIGWICap.com avg savings) Monday, Aug. 30, 2010 Stealing the intangible Methods for keeping student information private TM "*" ‘ tbooks. fiat' y ekk te)( e dovit cheapest ones Vi *le iiod the c By STOREE POWELL features senior writer Ag ? * 35%-45% cheaper 50% cheaper than online stores than bookstores on averagett on average* * BIGWORDS lowest price vs. average lowest price from each online store. BIGWORDS lowest price with shipping vs. retail without shipping. BW82 Riddle: what can someone steal from a student that is often intangible, and despite the fact that the student is low-income, still make the criminal rich? It is a student's identity. The theft of a date of birth Where Utah Gets. Engaged' S.E. Needham Jewelers 1896 Surprise her with a solitaire... let her choose the ring. Starting at $500. (Perfect for a student budget.) MerAlay - urly - TOO Muth Irlibn • PI 2 1;. II 'A and social security number are known as stealing the "key to the kingdom" because this information can be turned into money, according to Mike Prusinski, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at the identity theft protection company LifeLock. Prusisnki mentioned statistics like 'You're ten times more likely to get your identity stolen in America than your car,' and 'According to the FBI, identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America,' as well as 'Identity theft is a low risk-high reward crime so less than half of 1 percent of people ever committing this crime ever get prosecuted.' "It is not hard to believe that college aged students are in one of the fastest growing segments of the ID theft crime, according to the Federal Trade Commission," Prusinski said. When students go back to school, they are bombarded with people looking for their information, like financial aid sources, housing, local banks and creditors, Prusinski said. Marketers see college students as a brand new form of income, so they target them. Prusinski said while Utah is in great standing overall, approximately 34th nationally, it all comes down to how the crime is reported. He said it may be in Utah that not as many cases get reported, but it doesn't necessarily mean the crime is not going on. On Aug. 26, LifeLock paired with the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) to put on a free identity theft summit in West Valley City to help Utah law enforcement become aware of new trends and how they can best work to combat the crime. Prusinski said these summits are critical because identity theft is a very fast-changing crime. COLLEGE AGED STUDENTS are one of the fastest growing targets of identity theft.There are up to 30 different way to steal an individual's identity. CARL R WILSON photo illustration Some of the common things students do that put them at risk for ID theft are, according to Prusinski, are: —Leaving out wallets or purses, checkbooks, ID cards or even leaving a computer logged on, not just in public places like libraries, but also in dorm rooms where roommates or friends can have access to them. Prusinski said, "You might be friends now, but 25-30 percent of all identity theft crimes are cases of friendly fraud, where the thief knows the victim." —Carrying a social security card in a purse or wallet. Prusinski said the number should be memorized and the card put in a safety deposit box. — Downloading filesharing networks. Some of these networks are free downloads that anyone can get on their computer to share music with the world, like Limewire, Bearshare or Frostwire. They not only enable the user to share music, but documents from their computer. Prusinski said, "If you are saving your tax return on your computer, criminals can do a simple search on the network for "tax return," and then they will download it on their computer. You may not ever know it was taken. You should never put these dangerous programs on your I See THEFT, page 11 Club: Sends aid to Africa Ilcontinuedfrom page 7 Going to college is hard enough. Why complicate it with banking hassles? The A+ Account with USU Charter Credit Union is big on service and low on fees. A+ Account includes: • Easy transfers from mom and dad • Online banking with Bill Pay and Web Teller • ATMs in the library and student center • Your very own branch just off campus • 24/7 Telephone Teller • Visa debit card ALL free. ALL convenient. No hidden fees. $25 AND $25 • Open your A+ Account* and get a $25 deposit plus $25 to spend any way you want. AGGIE ICE CREAM • Bring this ad to the campus branch to get your FREE Aggie Ice Cream. To open your account bring your driver's License, proof of residence, and social security card. NCUA o LENDER 800.248.6361 aggie.usuccu.org Campus • Logan • Smithfield Providence • Brigham City et lt&611- UNION "We'd like to help by maybe paying for bicycles so teachers don't have to cancel school for a week at a time," Merrell said. The fund at USU is planning two main events to raise funds, Berry said. A 5K race in September and a benefit concert in April. Berry said the 5K will be held on Sept. 25. Registration will open at 7:30 a.m. and the race will begin at 8 a.m. "It's 5 dollars, and all the money we raise goes to the fund," she said. The benefit concert, called Zambia Fest, will be held April 30, called Zambia Fest, is shaping up to be a big event, according to both Berry and Merrell. "We're going to have Keith Stubbs, from (radio station) 101.5 The Eagle, be our MC, and he said he was excited to help," Berry said. Stubbs has won awards for being the best talk show host on the radio, and Berry said he owns Wiseguy Comedy Club in Ogden, UT. Merrell said the club is growing, and he hopes it continues to do so. "We're looking for help, to give people opportunities," he said. To get more information on events and the scholarship fund, you can visit www. Zambiasscholarshipfund.org or email them at Zambia.usu@ gmail.com . —apriLashland@aggiemaiLusu. edu |
