Identity Theft - MoneySKILL Lesson
As we make more and more of our purchases online and as more information about us is stored through the internet, our risk of having our identities stolen has gone up. Please complete the below MoneySKILL Lesson by reading the lesson and completing the directions.
These days our "identity" exists as records on a number of computers ranging from banks in which we have our money, credit card companies, schools, doctors, credit bureaus and even the computer that contains our record of birth. Since our identity is valuable to us, it is also valuable to others as well and there are now a group of thieves who will literally steal your "good name" by stealing and using your identity. They do this by getting hold of your personal information such as your name, credit card numbers and Social Security number. Then, they will use this information to buy things or apply for loans in your name. Before you know it, your credit cards may have been maxed out and your credit rating may have been destroyed.
A great deal of identity theft now occurs online. Since many web sites use your (easy to obtain) email address as your user ID, all the crooks have to do is get a hold of your password to transfer your bank funds or order items through your online shopping accounts to be delivered to them. If they get your Social Security number and your credit card number as well, there is no end to the damage they can cause.
You may also expose some important parts of your identity when you throw out your trash or recyclables. The following common-sense measures may help you keep your identity from being stolen:
-Password protect your critical accounts such as your credit card, bank, brokerage and phone accounts. Do not use a single password for all of your accounts! Avoid using easily available (or guessed) information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security number or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers like 1234.
-Keep your personal information in a safe place in your home or dorm room, especially if you have roommates, have visitors, or are having work done.
-Never give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you've initiated the contact or you are sure you know who you're dealing with. If your bank or brokerage firm asks you for personal information (such as account number or Social Security number) in an email, never even reply since it is a crook "phishing" for your identity.
-Never throw bills or credit card slips with your identity in the trash and especially never in the recycling bin since it is easy to steal. Shred or rip into little pieces all mail that identifies you and/or your accounts. To be especially safe, put the pieces into different garbage pails to make them harder to reconstruct.
-Read your credit card, bank and phone statements carefully each month to spot transactions or calls that you never made.
Directions
For this assignment you will be creating a presentation for middle school students. You have the choice of creating a Prezi or a PowerPoint. For your presentation, you will need to be able to explain each of the below questions. For example, the above measures would be interesting to include in your presentation to answer the question, what measures we can take to prevent identity theft.
- Why people want to steal our identity
- How our identity may be stolen
- How our stolen identity may be used to hurt us
- What measures we can take to prevent identity theft
- How we can tell if our identity has been stolen
- What we should do to protect ourselves if we think our identity may have been stolen
Please remember you are not writing a report. Presentations should follow the 7 x 7 rule. You should consider completing the identity theft MoneySKILL lesson before completing.
These days our "identity" exists as records on a number of computers ranging from banks in which we have our money, credit card companies, schools, doctors, credit bureaus and even the computer that contains our record of birth. Since our identity is valuable to us, it is also valuable to others as well and there are now a group of thieves who will literally steal your "good name" by stealing and using your identity. They do this by getting hold of your personal information such as your name, credit card numbers and Social Security number. Then, they will use this information to buy things or apply for loans in your name. Before you know it, your credit cards may have been maxed out and your credit rating may have been destroyed.
A great deal of identity theft now occurs online. Since many web sites use your (easy to obtain) email address as your user ID, all the crooks have to do is get a hold of your password to transfer your bank funds or order items through your online shopping accounts to be delivered to them. If they get your Social Security number and your credit card number as well, there is no end to the damage they can cause.
You may also expose some important parts of your identity when you throw out your trash or recyclables. The following common-sense measures may help you keep your identity from being stolen:
-Password protect your critical accounts such as your credit card, bank, brokerage and phone accounts. Do not use a single password for all of your accounts! Avoid using easily available (or guessed) information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security number or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers like 1234.
-Keep your personal information in a safe place in your home or dorm room, especially if you have roommates, have visitors, or are having work done.
-Never give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you've initiated the contact or you are sure you know who you're dealing with. If your bank or brokerage firm asks you for personal information (such as account number or Social Security number) in an email, never even reply since it is a crook "phishing" for your identity.
-Never throw bills or credit card slips with your identity in the trash and especially never in the recycling bin since it is easy to steal. Shred or rip into little pieces all mail that identifies you and/or your accounts. To be especially safe, put the pieces into different garbage pails to make them harder to reconstruct.
-Read your credit card, bank and phone statements carefully each month to spot transactions or calls that you never made.
Directions
For this assignment you will be creating a presentation for middle school students. You have the choice of creating a Prezi or a PowerPoint. For your presentation, you will need to be able to explain each of the below questions. For example, the above measures would be interesting to include in your presentation to answer the question, what measures we can take to prevent identity theft.
- Why people want to steal our identity
- How our identity may be stolen
- How our stolen identity may be used to hurt us
- What measures we can take to prevent identity theft
- How we can tell if our identity has been stolen
- What we should do to protect ourselves if we think our identity may have been stolen
Please remember you are not writing a report. Presentations should follow the 7 x 7 rule. You should consider completing the identity theft MoneySKILL lesson before completing.