Identity theft becoming a major problem

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By Jeremy Byers

Following the announcement to all those LSU students whose identities were at risk of being stolen due to a misplaced data backup, many began to look further into what they could do to protect themselves from identity theft, which is beginning to plague the nation.

The risk of the data breach was not limited to LSU students, but extended to all who have a Louisiana College Savings Account, anyone who completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and anyone who receives Tuition Opportunity Program for Students Scholarship (TOPS) funds.

“On the evening of Oct. 15, the office of Student Aid and Scholarships at LSU was notified by the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) that some of its backup media was lost by its data storage contractor,” read a broadcast e-mail from LSU.

Though it is unlikely that anyone who might have stolen the media would have access to the equipment, software and knowledge needed to decipher the code, it prompted students to take a closer look at how their personal information is being used and frequently exposed.

“Cracking data backups can be very tricky,” said technology administrator David Dupris with Allied Data, a company that specializes in remote data backup. “The media that was misplaced was either a DVD or, most likely, a tape drive, which very few non-corporate users have access to in the first place. Even if they had a tape drive, decrypting the files can be tedious and extremely difficult.”

Until very recently, students had to use their social security numbers in order to identify themselves for all transactions and interactions with officials on campus, whether it was setting up an appointment with a counselor or signing up for a class at the LSU Recreation facility.

Now, students must use either the number printed on their ID cards or their nine-digit LSUID, which can be found by logging into PAWS and clicking on LSUID below Directory Information.

In a letter sent to Tiger Weekly and The Daily Reveille, Brian D. Voss, LSU Chief Information Officer, said that the potential exposure to identity theft extends beyond the realm of high-tech security breaches.

“Our data is, literally, everywhere. Anytime you’ve given your SSN on an application, or used a credit card, or even tossed away an unshredded credit card bill or bank statement, you’ve ‘exposed’ yourself to potential identity theft and credit fraud,” wrote Voss. “You cannot live in today’s world without doing so.”

Earlier this year, two LSU football players were accused of breaking into a campus apartment and stealing a backpack that contained money and credit cards, then using the stolen cards to buy more than $200 worth of merchandise online.

Offensive lineman Zhamal Thomas of New Iberia and defensive back Troy Giddens of Hammond were suspended from the team after their arrests. After an investigation, the two players admitted they had committed the crimes and were booked on charges of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling and identity theft.

“It can be as easy as digging through somebody’s trash and finding a credit card bill,” said Dupris. “If the thieves know the right people, they can do much more than charge a few hundred dollars on a credit card. It isn’t unheard of for a victim to try to finance a car and discover that they already financed one in another part of the country.”

Most of the time, it is never known how a victim’s identity was stolen in the first place, but according to some, like Holly Girard, an accounting senior at LSU whose identity was recently stolen, “It sucks.”

“Identity theft is one of those things that you never think can happen to you, but trust me, it can,” said Girard.

In her case, the thief used her identity to acquire a credit card in her name and made various purchases. The thief even made a payment on the card over the phone, but after three months of non-payment, Girard was contacted and asked to foot the bill, which was when she became confused, since the only card she had was her debit card.

“I had to contact all of the credit agencies, file a police report and fight with the fraud department at the bank,” recalled Girard. “It was very stressful, and no one?at the bank was very concerned or helpful.?The best advice I can give is to shred everything!”

Experts say one of the first steps in protecting your identity is as easy as using a shredder to dispose of personal documents. A shredder can be purchased relatively cheap at a local office supply store for around $30.

Students can also enroll in the Equifax credit monitoring program provided by LSU. This year, LSU was named a 2007 Campus Technology Innovator for the free credit-monitoring program during the Campus Technology Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

The program began in the fall of 2006, when LSU worked with Equifax Customer Services Inc. to develop a way to provide campus-wide coverage. LSU students, faculty and staff can enroll in a customized version of Equifax Credit Watch Silver, which sends daily alerts regarding changes in the user’s credit file and offers up to $2,500 of Identity Fraud Expense Coverage (with a $250 deductable).

“So while it is incumbent upon the keepers of information to do their utmost to safeguard and secure it – as we’re doing here at LSU – it becomes a personal responsibility we all have to keep an eye on things ourselves,” said Voss. “People are involved and these systems and processes are, obviously, not perfect.”

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Originally Published: Issue 584 - October 24, 2007

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