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Avoiding ID Theft at College

From the November 19, 2008 edition,  Wall Street Journal

By Suzanne Barlyn

Problem: Protecting your identity while attending college.

Solution: Ask your college administration for a unique identification number that is different from your Social Security number. Many schools now have a policy of using randomly assigned numbers to identify students for such things as registering for classes. (Social Security numbers are still necessary for some paperwork such as applying for financial aid.) Install a firewall on your computer or laptop, and never leave either logged on, at the library or in your dorm room, where students or intruders can gain access to your personal information. Don't post your birthday on Facebook, MySpace and other social-networking sites, and use caution about updating your whereabouts -- you may alert potential intruders that your room is unoccupied.

Reconsider plans to set up a wireless network in your dorm; unknown users may join your network, unless you enable security features. Buy a program that can help recover your stolen computer, such as Computrace LoJack for Laptops, which reports the computer's location to a monitoring center if a thief connects it to the Internet ($39.99 a year or three years for $89.99; $59.99 a year for a version that can also remotely and permanently delete sensitive data).