With Ohio University students, alumni and other donors' personal information potentially stolen, the university is looking for ways to protect the identities of the 175,000 individuals possibly affected.
So far, according to university spokesman Jack Jeffery, there have been two dozen unconfirmed reports of identity theft linked to the five breaches at OU.
Any reports of possible identity thefts we're taking very seriously
he said.
The Federal Trade Commission's fraud Web site, http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/, suggests a few steps for citizens to follow in case they think their personal information has been compromised.
Primarily, place a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert helps prevent criminals with your personal information from creating any new accounts with your name on it. To place a fraud alert on your credit report, you must call one of three consumer reporting companies. The company you contact is required to contact the other two so you only need to call one: Equifax (1-800-525-6285), Experian (1-888-397-3742) or TransUnion (1-800-680-7289).
Anyone may place an initial fraud alert on their credit report that lasts for 90 days, said Sheila Gordon, director of the victim assistance center at the Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego. This initial alert, she said, is just a warning on your credit report. Businesses do not necessarily have to verify your identity in this case, but often do.
In addition, the initial alert entitles individuals to one free credit report from each of the three consumer reporting companies listed above to check up on any suspicious activity, Gordon said.
Individuals may renew the initial alert as many times as they see fit, Gordon said. Alternatively, they can also put an extended alert on their credit report if they have a police report documenting the identity theft. The extended alert lasts for seven years and requires businesses to verify someone's identity before doing anything such as issuing a credit card, opening a bank account or opening any other line of credit.
The Federal Trade Commission's Web site also recommends closing any accounts you believe criminals have access to and filing a report with the local police.
Even though it may be a bit late for individuals to take preventative measures against identity theft, Gordon said it is often the best way to defend yourself from becoming one of the 10 million people per year who are victims of identity theft.
She recommends shredding all documents and leaving credit cards and Social Security information at home unless it is needed.
They're not 100 percent preventative Gordon said, but they are measures one can take.
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Chris Yonker
