The University has made great strides in recent years to protect students, but they’re still vulnerable to identity theft and credit card fraud.
Jeanette Tucker, human ecology professor, specializes in family economics. Tucker said college students are vulnerable to identity theft because many don’t try to protect their PIN numbers, credit cards and account information.
Students should get into the habit of obtaining copies of credit reports and think twice before using the services advertised on television, Tucker said.
“With those things advertised through the media, they’re not actually free,” Tucker said. “You end up purchasing a product.”
All consumers are entitled to a free copy of each of their three major credit reports each year, Tucker said.
There are three major credit reporting agencies, and Tucker said it’s important to receive each of the reports. She said different businesses report to different agencies, so students need to see each report to adequately monitor their credit.
Tucker said students should use discretion when making purchases and be careful not to let credit cards out of their sight. She recommended students pay cash when dining at restaurants.
“At restaurants — and really any time that card is out of your sight — you are exposing yourself to fraud,” Tucker said.
Kyle Lecompte, economics and anthropology junior, said he discovered he was a victim of identity theft when his credit card was declined at a store.
Lecompte said someone in Philadelphia had been using his account information to make purchases. He said he now takes precautions to prevent his information from being stolen again.
“I don’t have a credit card anymore, and I don’t purchase anything online,” Lecompte said.
Tucker said students can also protect themselves from fraud by monitoring bank statements and bills as soon as they’re received. She said students should report any suspicious activity to the bank as soon as they discover it.
Brian Leslie, speech communications graduate student, said he has dealt with credit card fraud twice.
“Once I was robbed at gunpoint, and the contents of my wallet were exploited,” he said. “Another time someone stole information from my credit card company.”
Leslie now has a fraud alert on his credit card account. He stopped having card applications sent to his house, and he is notified immediately if someone applies for something in his name.
Tucker also said students could be at risk if they receive and respond to e-mails and phone calls asking for personal information.
“Banks will never call to ask for personal data,” she said, “They may call to ask you to come in, but they will never ask for information over the line.”
Tucker recommended students keep their personal information to themselves, including credit card numbers and social security numbers.
She said many forms people fill out for things like driver’s licenses and employment applications request Social Security numbers but don’t actually require them.
Tucker said schools used to post exam grades publicly and list them with students’ social security numbers.
She said the University stopped posting information publicly and also began using LSU ID numbers instead of Social Security numbers to keep track of students.
“We’re doing better,” she said. “Fewer organizations are asking students for personal data and the public is more aware of risks.”
Tucker said the free reports provided by the credit reporting agencies can be found at www.annualcreditreport.com.   
Contact Rachel Warren at [email protected]