Shawnee State University joins Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Awareness Campaign; “AVOID ID THEFT – Deter, Detect, Defend”     

Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person’s information without their permission to commit fraud or other crimes.  Identity theft is a serious crime affecting some 10 million Americans each year, according to Federal Trade Commission estimates.

Awareness is among the most powerful tools in the fight against identity theft.  The more you know about how to protect your information and the information of others you come in contact with, the harder it is for identity thieves to commit their crimes.   

While you can't entirely control whether or not you will become a victim, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk.  During the month of January, the university will join the Federal Trade Commission’s efforts to promote awareness of identity theft and educate people on the ways to minimize risk.  

As a part of this campaign, SSU Employees received a copy of the Federal Trade Commission’s brochure “Fighting Back Against Identity Theft” with their paycheck or direct deposit voucher in January of 2007.  Additionally, we have posted the FTC’s educational video that provides an overview of identity theft and outlines the steps consumers can take on our web site at http://www.shawnee.edu/uis/identity_theft.html.  Employees are encouraged to take the time to review these materials and consider the importance of the information they contain. 

We also suggest everyone visit our web site at http://www.shawnee.edu/uis/identity_theft.html  to learn more about what you can do to protect your identity.  Shawnee State University is taking a variety of steps to reduce the risk of identity theft on our campus but we need everyone’s help in order to be successful!