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Identity Theft Get Posters on Phishing, Spyware, Computer Viruses, and more Identity theft is a widespread and growing problem that should concern everyone. Even if you have no appreciable assets, having your ID stolen can wreck your credit rating and load you with unauthorized debt. The U.S. Department of Education says that "identity theft literally steals who you are, and it can seriously jeopardize your financial future." Online identity theft can occur through the Internet scam known as phishing and through the surreptitious use of spyware on your computer system. Phishing scams try to steal identities or financial information by sending spam e-mails to unsuspecting victims and tricking them into providing confidential details. Never respond to such e-mails and never provide confidential information on the fake web sites they often link to, no matter how compelling or urgent these requests seem. Legitimate businesses would never seek personal information in this manner. Get more information in the phishing article. To reduce the amount of phishing e-mails you receive, learn about Ohio State's anti-spam service on the central e-mail system and find out how to make it work best for you. Refer to the 8help Knowledge Base article for details. Spyware. Some viruses and software intruders can secretly install spyware (also known as “adware” or “malware”) on your Internet-connected computer to invade your privacy. They may track the web pages you visit, or annoy you with pop-up ads, but they can lead to identity theft when they collect your personal and confidential information. Get more information in the spyware article. Always log off and close/quit sessions and programs on networked and shared computers, especially when you use your OSU Internet Username to access the Internet in a Student Computer Center, or when you're on a public-use computer such as those in libraries. Leaving an open session or program on a public computer gives the next user access to your personal e-mails and confidential information. A dishonest person could create all kinds of problems, including stealing your identity. To ensure that no personal information remains, use the “Clear History” and “Remove Cookies” commands in the browser, if allowed (find them under Preferences/Advanced or in one of the menus). Take action if your identity has been stolen. If you feel you have been victimized by identity theft, follow the advice from the Federal Trade Commission on the next steps you can take. Read about BuckeyeSecure, the twofold initiative Ohio State is undertaking to safeguard identities and social security numbers in the university's computer systems and administrative processes. Get more information from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General. |
Learn about phishing scams and spyware to prevent online identity theft Learn about Ohio State's anti-spam service on the central e-mail system and find out how to make it work best for you. Refer to the 8help Knowledge Base article. Always log off and close/quit sessions and programs on networked and shared computers If you have been victimized by identity theft, follow the steps provided by the FTC |
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