Skip to content
Truman State University
  • Admission
  • Academics
  • Alumni
  • About
  • Student Life
  • News & Events
  • Truview Login
  • Athletics
  • Directory
  • ITS Home
  • Get Help
    • Get Help
    • Technical Phone Support
    • Student Computing (How To)
    • How do I?
    • IT Service Center Laptop Checkout
    • Documentation
    • Training & Tutorial
    • Security Awareness
    • Phone Services
  • Forms
  • Purchasing Technology
  • Software & Labs
    • Software and Labs
    • Computer Lab Map
  • Learning Technologies
  • Policies & Procedures
  • Enterprise Systems
    • Enterprise Systems
    • Student Directory Data Request
  • About ITS
    • About ITS
    • IT Governance
    • ITS Annual Reports
    • Planning
  • Home
  • Get Help
  • Security Awareness
  • Are you losing your identity?

Are you losing your identity?

What Is Identity Theft? 

Identity theft occurs when someone acquires a piece of your personal information and uses it to commit fraud.

How Is Personal Information Taken?

Information can be gathered from lost or stolen wallets, pilfered mail, a data breach, spyware, phishing scams, and improperly discarded paper documents.

Results of Identity Theft

Depending on the severity of the case, the consequences of identity theft vary greatly. There have been cases where arrested criminals will use the names, DOB’s, and SSN’s of another. Innocent persons have discovered that they have criminal records because of a misused ID. There was also a case where a woman withdrew $13,000 from a victim’s bank account before getting caught.

How to Prevent ID Theft

There are a number of ways to prevent your identity from being stolen, such as shredding paper documents and debit/credit cards before disposal.

For a full list, please see these sites:

http://www.crimedoctor.com/identity.htm

http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html

What to Do If Information Gets Stolen

Depending on what is compromised, there are different steps to take to prevent any severe consequences.  Here are some resources:

http://www.scambusters.org/creditcard.html

http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html#whatifvictim

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/filing-a-report.html

http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html#whatshouldido

Additional Information

The are some statistics on the number of victims: http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/idtheftsurveys.htm

Here is a more in-depth survey on ID theft: http://www.ftc.gov/os/2003/09/synovatereport.pdf

Truman Logo
#1 for 26 consecutive years  Ranked 9th out of top 50 most affordable Top 6 Masters University
Truman State University
100 E. Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501 USA
(660) 785-4000
©2025 Truman State University
   Contact Us
Give To Truman
  • Get to Know Truman
    • Admission
    • Academics
    • Alumni
    • Student Life
    • About Truman
  • Explore
    • News & Events
    • Athletics
    • Directory
    • Parents & Families
    • Employment
    • TruView
    • Maps & Directions
  • Policy and Safety
    • Policies
    • Racial Equity & Institutional Change
    • Title IX/Statement on Non-Discrimination
    • Disclosures
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • Emergency Information
  • University Tiktok Account

Truman State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Back to Top