ALBANY - As students prepare for the fall semester of college, the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) is reminding young consumers to protect their identities while working on their computers, using the Internet, living in their dorms or while shopping.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that the 18-29 year-old age group is one of the largest growing segments of the population to fall victim to identity theft.

College students often innocently leave themselves vulnerable to identity theft by making personal identifiable information (PII), which is usually a person’s name combined with their address, Social Security number, credit and/or debit card numbers, individual account or bank numbers, available to others.  For example, PII may be compromised by purchasing items through Internet sites which are not secure; by leaving offers, credit card solicitations, medical benefits explanation or other items easily accessible to roommates or others; or by not shredding documents.  PII may also fall into the wrong hands by being careless with student loan information or identification numbers; and/or by talking to a trusted person within earshot of others and revealing information that, once overheard, can then be used to perpetrate identity theft.