College Campus for Identity Thieves

College students tend to be targets for identity theft since they are young and trying to establish credit or start careers, and identity thieves often obtain the information they need by approaching the students claiming to represent a major bank or potential employer. A similar incident was reported in Sacramento, CA. According to the State Hornet Online, two unidentified men on the campus of California State University, Sacramento, entered at least five classrooms over the course of a week, and claimed to be career center employees. They claimed to be recruiting students for an internship, but didn't say with whom. The men obtained names and contact information. The campus police are still investigating whether or not social security numbers were obtained. The men have not been apprehended, and the incident is still under investigation.

The method used here is called pretexting, or obtaining information under false pretenses. Pretexting is normally done over the phone, but it is apparently just as effective in person. If someone asks for information but does not tell what they are using it for, you should approach the situation with suspicion. Parents should teach their children early on not to give out their personal information freely and warn them of the dangers of identity theft, so when they are on their own in college, they will already be stingy with their information. In this case, the fact that these men were promoting an internship and asked for information but failed to identify the company that would be receiving this information should have been a warning. Incidents like this one can be nipped in the bud with the proper preparation.