Identity Theft

The Humboldt State University Police Department is presently investigating a possible case of identity theft, a violation of 530.5 of the California Penal Code. This case was initiated on Thursday 01/23/03 when students began to report suspicious interactions with an unknown female suspect at a variety of locations on the HSU campus during the day.

The unknown female suspect has been falsely identifying herself as having some official authority or affiliation with Humboldt State, and has been asking passing students if they have their student body card with them. The female then rewards persons who display their student body card with a free 30-minute phone card.

In several instances, the suspect has used a digital camera to photograph the student's HSU student body card before returning it. Each photo may have captured a student's name and associated social security number.

There may be more than one suspect, and they remain unknown. There is no authorization for anyone associated with Humboldt State to be photographing students' HSU student body cards. The University Police Department is very concerned that the suspect(s) is/are illegally obtaining student's names, pictures, and social security numbers. Most HSU student body cards have the student's social security number printed on the front. Suspects could theoretically use the student's name, social security number, and other information to seek fraudulent credit and credit cards in students' names, or to commit other acts of identity theft and fraud.

What To Do If This Occurs

If you witness identity theft and/or see the suspect in this case anywhere on or around the HSU campus, IMMEDIATELY contact HSUPD from a campus courtesy phone or by calling 826-5555. The police will respond to detain the involved person(s) and investigate further.

What To Do If You Are Already A Victim

1. Make a Police Report

Call or stop by HSUPD to complete a one-page informational form so that you may be listed as a possible victim. The incidents related to the events of 01/23/03 are documented in case #0903-0053.

2. Protect Your Credit

Contact the Fraud Victim Assistance departments at all three credit bureaus and explain to them what happened. They are able to add a "Security Alert" to your credit profile. Here are the phone numbers for the Fraud Victim Assistance departments at all three credit bureaus. If you are a victim of fraud or suspect that you may be, you need to contact ALL three companies.

EQUIFAX
www.equifax.com
Report Fraud: 1-800-525-6285
Order A Credit Report: 1-800-685-1111
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

EXPERIAN
www.experian.com
Report Fraud: 1-888-397-3742
Order A Credit Report: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
P.O. Box 1017
Allen, TX 75013-0949

TRANS UNION
www.tuc.com
Report Fraud: 1-800-680-7289
Order A Credit Report: 1-800-916-8800
Fraud Victim Assistance Department
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834]

The addition of a "Security Alert" to your credit file will protect you in the following ways: whenever a creditor requests your credit profile as part of the process of granting credit in your name, they will be directed to call you to verify that you are indeed applying for credit. This will protect you from con artists who apply for credit in your name and then run up gigantic bills. In this type of scam you will not be aware that a credit line has been opened in your name until you get a bill from the creditor.

In addition, ask for a current copy of your credit report and instructions for reading it from each of the three credit bureaus to make a record that there is no false information on your credit files as of the date your social security number was stolen. Check your credit report annually for evidence of fraud and keep a record of associated police report date(s) and case number(s), copies of your correspondence and emails, notes of your phone calls, etc to show your efforts to report the identity theft and correct inaccuracies.

More information on identity theft and theft of Social Security Numbers may be found at a variety of websites including http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html.

Options To Keep Social Security Numbers More Private At HSU

Presently, Humboldt State administrators are exploring alternative student identification number systems for the future.

Meanwhile, when you have your identification card photo taken at the library, ask that your social security number be deleted from the face of the card (it will remain on the card's magnetic strip as your official HSU student identification number).

Any persons wishing to obtain a replacement student identification card without a printed social security number will have to bring their driver's license and $5.00 to the Cashier's office at the Student and Business Services Building, then go to the library for a new photo; photo hours are Monday through Friday, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Questions about the identification card procedure may be directed to the ID office at 826-5601.

Prepared by: Sgt Thomas Dewey, Refer Case Number 0903-0053