Back to campus means identity theft warnings in order

Tips from Better Business Bureau

As college students head back to campus, parents would be well-advised to have a talk about money along with furnishing dorm rooms, buying books and settling that tuition bill.

Students can be especially vulnerable to theft if they haven't had much experience handling their own money or living on their own. Identity thieves see students as desirable targets because they usually have clean credit records and they may lack experience in detecting scams. Students also may be careless about leaving sensitive papers in plain sight or forgetting to lock their doors.

According to Javelin Strategy and Research, identity theft committed against people aged 18 to 24 took the longest to detect - 132 days on average - when compared to other age groups. The average cost of losses to this age group - $1,156 - was roughly five times more than the amount lost by other age groups.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft complaints for people age 19 and under totaled 12,062 last year, or 2 percent of complaints. In the 20-to-29 age group, 37,568 complaints were filed, or about 18 percent of complaints.

Students also should be wary of unsolicited offers of loans or free gifts to entice them to sign up for credit cards. It's easy to run up bills beyond their ability to pay, and some cards that come with those offers may carry steep interest rates and fees.

BBB recommends that college-bound students take the following seven steps to fight identity theft on campus:

School mailboxes are not always secure and often can be accessed easily in a dorm or apartment. To combat sticky fingers in the mail room, have sensitive mail sent to a permanent address, such as a parent's home or a post office box.

Important documents should be stored under lock and key. This includes your Social Security card, passport and bank and credit card statements. Shred any paper documents that have sensitive financial information rather than just tossing them out. Also shred any credit card offers that come in the mail.

Never lend your credit or debit card to anyone, even if they are a friend. Just say no if your friend wants you to cosign for a loan or financing for items like a TV.

Make sure your computer, laptop or tablet has up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Always install any updates and patches to your computer's operating system or browser software, which help keep your computer safe from new schemes or hacks by identity thieves online.

Always check your credit or debit card statements closely for any suspicious activity. The sooner you identify any potential fraud, the less you'll suffer in the long run.

Check your credit report at least once a year with all three reporting bureaus for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies. You can do this for free by visiting annualcreditreport.com.

Mike Harrison is regional director for the Mid Missouri Better Business Bureau, whose mission is to create a marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other.