Campus Security: Safety and Security Tips

Safety and Security Tips

Safety Tip: Put Your Phone on ICE

Emergency officials across the nation are urging people to make emergency contact information easily found on their mobile phone by identifying it with the designation of .ICE (in case of emergency). This way, an emergency official who finds a person unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate can easily discover whom to contact. A period should appear before the ICE to ensure it appears at the top of the phone’s address book.

A sample entry: .ICE-Dad or .ICE-Stacy. People who have phones that allow notes to be associated with a phone number can provide additional information about the contact person by adding, for example, “Stacy is my sister.”

Security Tip: To Avoid ID Theft

Rarely give out your Social Security number. Financial institutions, such as banks and credit card companies, typically require the number. However, many places request it that do not need it.

Shred documents containing personal information. Some identity thieves get information by looking through trash, where they find whole documents listing all the information needed to commit ID theft. Shredding can prevent ID theft by this method. Also, find out how the organizations to which you do give your personal data dispose of papers that have your information. If they don’t shred, use another institution.

Don’t give out info via e-mail or phone. Many con artists send e-mails or call claiming to be one of the financial institutions you use and requesting personal information. Expert Todd Davis says you should not respond to such e-mails or phone calls. Only provide important info when you initiate the contact using telephone numbers or Web sites you know to be associated with the institution.

Monitor your credit report. Consumers are entitled to one free credit report annually. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com.

Remove your name from credit card solicitation lists. The FTC Web site and the three major credit reporting agencies offer advice on how to get your name removed from the lists. Identity thieves often steal pre-approved credit card offers from mailboxes, so the fewer you receive, the less chance someone has to take one from your mailbox.