Identity theft is an issue that impacts individuals worldwide, and college students are no exception. Thanks to modern technology, criminals have found new avenues to exploit personal information, making it crucial for college students to understand the risks and take steps to safeguard their personal data.

This article will discuss why college students are frequently targeted by identity thieves and what they can do to protect themselves. We’ll also explore what the full scope of this problem is and why investing in a premium identity protection service can significantly reduce their vulnerability.

How Does College Student Identity Theft Occur?

Identity theft is a growing concern among college students due to a combination of digital and physical vulnerabilities unique to the college environment. Here’s a breakdown of how it can happen:

Technique	How It Works
Theft of unsecured personal information	When important documents like Social Security cards, passports, or bank statements are left unsecured in dorm rooms or apartments, they become easily accessible to thieves
Exploitation of public Wi-Fi	Colleges often offer free Wi-Fi access to students. If these networks aren’t properly secured or if students use them to share unencrypted information, cyber thieves can steal their data
Use of phishing schemes	Students may receive fraudulent emails or messages supposedly from the university, banks, or even employers. These scams are designed to trick students into revealing financial details
Manipulation of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing	Using P2P networks can expose students’ devices to software that can extract private data without their knowledge
Personal item theft	Students often study in communal areas and leave behind items like wallets, laptops, or phones. This creates an opportunity for someone to steal their information
Social media monitoring	Students sometimes unknowingly share information on social media platforms, providing identity thieves with enough details to impersonate them or answer their security questions

Why Are College Students a Frequent Target of Identity Thieves?

[Image suggestion: Close-up of happy young students using smartphones] 

Although college students are among the prime targets for identity theft, they’re less concerned about it, even though they’re uniquely vulnerable to this crime. In a survey by Javelin Strategy & Research, more than 64% of the students surveyed expressed minimal worry about this kind of fraud, and around 15% reported experiencing moderate to severe consequences due to identity theft incidents.

The study also revealed that students often come to know about identity fraud indirectly. For example, 22% of students discovered they were victims of identity fraud when contacted by debt collectors or when their credit application was rejected. Finally, compared to other groups, students are four times more likely to become victims of fraud where the person responsible is someone they know.

Here are five reasons college students are the number one target for identity theft:

1. Lifestyle and living conditions
2. Lack of experience and awareness
3. Frequent transactions and applications
4. High use of digital platforms
5. Social dynamics and peer influence

Lifestyle and Living Conditions

Many college students reside in dormitories or shared apartments with multiple people. It’s common for documents containing sensitive information to be left in unlocked rooms, making them accessible to roommates, friends, or even strangers. Also, students tend to use shared computer resources at the library or study areas that may have malware, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks if not properly protected.

Lack of Experience and Awareness

College students—especially those who are managing their finances independently for the first time—may lack the experience and knowledge on how to best protect their personal and financial information. This lack of awareness can result in mistakes such as:

• Using weak passwords
• Oversharing on media platforms
• Revealing private information to strangers
• Falling victim to phishing emails

Frequent Transactions and Applications

The college environment requires students to engage in various transactions and applications—from opening bank accounts or credit card applications to applying for housing or on-campus jobs. Each of these activities involves sharing information, which increases the chances of their personal data falling into the wrong hands and being misused.

High Use of Digital Platforms

Modern students heavily rely on digital platforms for studying, communication, and entertainment purposes. Because of this, a lack of knowledge about proper cybersecurity measures can make them susceptible to a range of threats on social media platforms, including downloading malware and falling victim to scams. 

For example, students can unknowingly click on links in messages on their social media without realizing that these messages might not be from their friends but from identity thieves posing as their friends. Unfortunately, these links don’t lead to the expected content—instead, they secretly download software that captures keystrokes. This dangerous malware helps hackers steal the information stored on computers, smartphones, or tablets, making students a target of identity theft.

Social Dynamics and Peer Influences

In a college environment, students can be influenced by their peers to join platforms, install specific apps, or subscribe to popular services. These social influences may cause students to make choices without assessing the security of these platforms or the legitimacy of the offers.

Plus, trusting students may share passwords, PINs, or other sensitive information more freely, exposing themselves to identity fraud.

How Students Can Protect Themselves From Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious crime that can have extremely harmful consequences, but there are measures students can take to reduce the risk of falling victim to identity theft. These include:

1. Strengthening passwords—Using unique passwords for all accounts is a recommended practice for password safety. It’s best to include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters in passwords so they’re not easily guessed
2. Exercising caution with information—Students should provide sensitive details only when necessary, and approach requests for information via email or phone calls with caution. Legitimate organizations rarely solicit information this way
3. Regularly monitoring accounts—Reviewing bank statements, credit card bills, and other financial accounts for any suspicious activities can help catch signs of identity theft early. Any unusual findings should be reported to the bank or financial institution immediately
4. Checking credit reports periodically—It’s recommended to request copies of credit reports from the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at least once a year. Students can thoroughly examine the reports for any inaccuracies or signs of fraudulent activity
5. Staying alert to phishing scams—This includes being careful when receiving emails, texts, or phone calls requesting financial details, and not clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. If uncertain of the source, students can reach out directly to the cited organization using their contact information
6. Keeping personal documents safe—Students should securely store important documents like their Social Security card, passport, and financial records in a designated place. Before disposing of them, it’s best to shred any documents that contain sensitive information to prevent unauthorized access

What To Do if a College Student Is a Victim of Identity Theft

[Image suggestion: Man typing in a password with the ‘Access Denied’ sign displayed on the screen]

College students may be easy targets, but you can help your college-aged child prevent identity theft by staying vigilant over their information and accounts. The best way to protect your child during their college years and beyond is by staying informed and taking proactive measures. If you suspect your child may be a victim of ID theft as a college student, you should take the following steps immediately:

1. Place a fraud alert or freeze their credit reports to lock access
2. Review all financial statements line by line to check for unauthorized activity
3. File an identity theft report
4. Contact creditors, banks, utility companies, insurance firms, and credit bureaus to report the fraud
5. Monitor all accounts closely going forward and check statements regularly

While necessary, protecting your child’s information takes time and effort. Luckily, students can rely on their parents’ help to get a service like FreeKick for peace of mind.

FreeKick—Credit Building and Identity Protection

Created by Austin Capital Bank, FreeKick prioritizes the protection of your family’s personal information. It offers a package that combines a deposit account backed by FDIC insurance with additional identity monitoring and credit building services.

When you sign up for a FreeKick account, your family’s identities are continuously monitored to keep your information safe and up to date. With your help, your child can access all the services offered by FreeKick, including:

• Credit profile monitoring
• Social Security number monitoring
• Dark web monitoring for personal information
• Up to $1 million identity theft insurance
• Full-service white-glove concierge credit restoration
• Lost wallet protection
• Court records monitoring
• Change of address monitoring
• Non-credit (Payday) loan monitoring
• Free FICO® Score monthly
• FICO® Score factors
• Experian credit report monthly

FreeKick also offers identity protection services for minors, including:

• Credit profile monitoring
• Social Security number monitoring
• Dark web monitoring for children’s personal information
• Up to $1 million identity theft insurance
• Full-service white-glove concierge credit restoration
• Sex offender monitoring—based on sponsor parent’s address

Every 30 seconds, a child’s identity gets stolen—FreeKick helps families avoid being part of these alarming statistics.

How FreeKick Works

In addition to ID monitoring for up to two parents and six children aged 0–25, FreeKick offers another invaluable service for securing your child a more stable future—automated credit building.

Establishing a credit history early can bring young adults multiple benefits—not only does it give them time to improve their credit profile, but it also allows them to enjoy the advantages of having good credit in the future. FreeKick helps build good credit for your child from an early age, which can save them more than $200,000 over their lifetime. 

Although it’s often challenging for students to access credit options, FreeKick offers a solution that can greatly contribute to your child’s financial future. The process is simple:

1. Create an Account—Visit FreeKick.bank and choose a plan that suits your deposit requirements to activate your account
2. Set It and Forget It—After activating the account, FreeKick takes action by creating a 12-month credit history for your child. This is accomplished through a no-interest credit builder loan that gets repaid using the deposit
3. Keep Growing—When the 12-month period comes to an end, you have the choice to either renew the account for another term or close it and receive a refund of your initial deposit

The pricing plans are flexible—you can choose from the following options:

FDIC-Insured Deposit Amount	Cost
$3,000	Free
No deposit	$149/year

To help your child overcome the identity protection challenges college students face and secure a strong financial future, opt for FreeKick.