Privacy & Identity Theft
All users of the University's computing and network
resources must be aware that privacy of electronic communication and/or stored
data files may be routinely compromised by systems that unintentionally preserve portions
of information within the University networks AND by individuals who intentionally
try to gain access to vulnerable machines.
It
is the policy of Northwestern to treat all transmissions over the Northwestern network as
private; however, the use of Northwestern network is strictly by permission of the
University and confidentiality is not guaranteed.
If you think you are a victim of identity theft...
- File a report with the local police department. For incidents originating
on campus, call University Police (UP) at extension 456 from any campus phone
or 847-491-3456 for Evanston and 312-503-3456 for Chicago.
- View the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Web site, where you will find information about contacting credit bureaus,
closing accounts, filing complaints with the FTC, and more.
- If you are a victim of identity theft, you will catch it early by checking
your credit report regularly. A recent amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting
Act (FCRA) requires that each of the three consumer credit reporting companies
(Experian, Trans Union and Equifax) provide you with a free copy of your
credit report once every twelve months.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN
(397-3742)
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
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Tips and Tools for Increasing Your Online Privacy
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is a crime in
which an imposter obtains key pieces of information such as Social Security and
driver's license numbers and uses them for their own personal gain. Victims are
left with a tainted reputation, poor credit, and the complicated task of
restoring their good names.
How is My Identity Stolen?
Identity thieves employ a
variety sophisticated means to steal your identity: everything from physically
stealing documents with personal/financial information that you may have left in
the open or forgotten to shred before throwing away, to tricking you into
providing private information either over the phone or through a fraudulent Web
site. How can I Reduce the Risk of becoming a Victim of Identity
Theft?
Be aware of Phishing scams.
Phishing attacks use 'spoofed' e-mails, fraudulent Web sites or telephone calls
designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as
credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers,
etc. By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers, and
credit card companies, phishers try to convince users to respond to them. As
a rule of thumb, individuals should:
Never reply to an e-mail or click on a link or
pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information.
Legitimate companies don't ask for this information via e-mail. If you are concerned about your
account, contact the organization in the e-mail using a telephone number you
know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the
company's correct Web address.
Never e-mail personal or financial
information. E-mail is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization's Web site, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL for a Web site that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.
Never divulge personal or financial
information over the phone unless you can verify the recipient. Scammers have recently called, claiming to represent banks or other companies. If you are unsure about the caller's identity, ask for a return phone number or address. Make sure it is an official company phone number, and call them back on that number. Only divulge financial or University business information if you are positive it is appropriate.
Be aware of Chat Rooms. Logging into an Internet chat room or filling out an online contest form with personal information may all seem innocent and private--but it isn't. Also, chat room users never know who else is really out there.
Never divulge your phone number, address, or any other personal information. In
addition, chat rooms can trace your IP address or your machine; and that
questionnaire information will probably be sold to every marketing firm on the
Internet.
Use common sense on the Internet. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Don't put personal information on any Web page you author, either. It's all too easy to become a victim of harassment or stalking. The same goes for posting pictures on your Web site. Also, remember your Northwestern online directory record is viewable everywhere unless you edit your Directory record so the off-campus field is set to "no," or "partial" to limit the amount of information available to the public. For more information about how to do this, visit How can I protect the privacy of my online directory data?
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Support Contact |
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NUIT's central helpdesk for faculty, staff, and students. 847-491-HELP (4357)
consultant@northwestern.edu
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NUIT > Security > Privacy & Identity Theft
