Script

SCRIPT TO PREVENTING IDENTITY THEFT

A. Introduction

This workshop kit includes:

 PowerPoint presentation
 Script
 Activities

These Workshop Kits can be used in conjunction with your lesson plan and materials.
Please read through your Script for further instructions on the workshop.

B. Use Limitations

These materials may be used only for nonprofit, noncommercial educational purposes.
These materials may not be used in connection with any sale, advertisement,
endorsement, or promotion of any service, product, person, or business and may not be
sold or offered for sale.

C. Conducting Workshops

There are many options on how to facilitate this financial education workshop. Besides
facilitating it yourself, here are some suggestions for places to find qualified volunteers:
 Business or finance schools/colleges
 Student financial aid offices
 Alumni associations (may be able to connect you with qualified alumni)
 Career services
 Student affairs
 Cooperative Extension offices

D. Promoting Workshops

Below are a few suggestions to promote your workshop to students on campus:

 Student financial aid office
 Student affairs
 Career services
 Parents’ associations
 Cooperative Extension offices
 Residential hall advisors
 Newspapers and magazines
 Facebook and other social media

1|Preventing Identity Theft

 Script

E. Overview

Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America, with as many as 9 million people
falling victim each year. Many college students, however, seem oblivious to the threat
that identity theft poses and generously share passwords, personal identification number
(PIN) information, driver’s licenses, and other information. This workshop is designed to
open students’ eyes and provide them with facts about identity theft, tips for preventing
identity theft, and steps to take if they become victims.

F. Preparation

 Review this Script and the accompanying PowerPoint slides.

 Customize the PowerPoint slides if you need to.

 Consider what you know about identity theft. Have you or has someone you know
been a victim? Do you practice preventive measures to protect yourself? Do you
know what to do if you or someone you know is victimized? How serious a crime
do you think this is?

 Consider that when it comes to talking about something as personal as everyday

habits, sharing your own successes and challenges may be more engaging and
effective than lecturing.

G. Materials Needed

 PowerPoint handouts
 Copies of the My Accounts Log activity

H. How to Facilitate This Session

1. Introduce yourself and explain that the topic is not only a very serious one, but it also
is one that could impact each and everyone in the room. The topic: Identity theft.

2. Explain that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that as many as 9 million
Americans have their identities stolen each year.

? Ask students if any of them or someone they know has experienced some form of
identity theft.

? Ask students to explain the concept of identity theft. [Identity theft occurs when
someone uses your personally identifying information, such as your name, Social
Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or
other crimes.]

2|Preventing Identity Theft

 Script

3. Distribute the PowerPoint handouts. As you review each one, engage students in a
discussion as detailed in the following outline.

- PPT 2: What is Identity Theft?

 Explain that identity theft takes many forms.

 Identity thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a

telephone account in your name. You may not find out about the theft until
you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges
you didn’t make—or until a debt collector contacts you.

 Emphasize that identity theft is serious. While some identity theft victims
can resolve their problems quickly, others spend hundreds of dollars and
many hours and days repairing the damage to their name and credit record.
Some consumers victimized by identity theft may lose out on job
opportunities or denied loans for education, housing, or cars because of
negative information on their credit reports. In rare cases, they even may
be arrested for crimes they did not commit.

 ? Ask students to think of ways in which their identity could be stolen.

- PPT 3: How Do Thieves Succeed?

 Explain that skilled identity thieves may use a variety of methods to obtain
your information, including:

Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills

or other paper that include your personal information.

Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special

storage device when processing your card. These devices also are
portable and can transmit information by being in close proximity
to your wallet or purse.

Shoulder Surfing. They look over your shoulder when you’re

writing a check at the grocery store or when you’re using your
debit card.

Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies

and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your
personal information.

Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to

another location by completing a change of address form.

3|Preventing Identity Theft

 Script

Old-Fashioned Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail,

including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit
offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel
records, or bribe employees who have access.

Pretexting. They use false pretenses to obtain your personal

information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and
other sources.

 ? Ask students if they can think of more ways a thief might use the stolen
identity (in addition to the few mentioned earlier).

- PPT 4: Some Fun Now

 Explain that there are many ways thieves can, and will, use a stolen
identity:

Credit Card Fraud: They may open new credit card accounts in
your name. When they use the cards and don’t pay the bills, the
delinquent accounts appear on your credit report. They may change
the billing address on your credit card so you no longer receive
bills, and then run up charges on your account.

Phone or Utilities Fraud: They may open a new phone or wireless

account in your name, or run up charges on your existing account.
They may use your name to get utility services such as electricity,
heat, or cable TV.

Bank/Finance Fraud: They may create counterfeit checks using

your name or account number. They may open a bank account in
your name and write bad checks. They may clone your ATM or
debit card and make electronic withdrawals in your name, draining
your accounts. They also may take out a loan in your name.

Government Documents Fraud: They may get a driver’s license or

official ID card issued in your name, but with their picture. They
may use your name and Social Security number to get government
benefits. They may file a fraudulent tax return using your
information.

Other Fraud: They may get a job using your Social Security
number. They may rent a house or get medical services using your
name. They may give your personal information to police during
an arrest. If they don’t show up for their court date, an arrest
warrant is issued in your name.

4|Preventing Identity Theft

 Script

 ? Ask students if they can think of any signs that would indicate their
identity has been stolen.

- PPT 5: Signs You May Be a Victim

 Explain that the best way to find out if your identity has been stolen is to
monitor your accounts and bank statements each month, and check your
credit report on a regular basis. If you check your credit report regularly,
you may be able to limit the damage caused by identity theft.

 Suggest that, unfortunately, many people do not realize they are victims of
identity theft until a great deal of damage has been done.

 Review the list of signs on the slide.

 Explain that in addition to this list, you may find out about identify theft
when making financial transactions. For example, if you apply for a
mortgage or car loan, you may learn that problems with your credit history
are holding up the loan. Or, you may get something in the mail about an
apartment you never rented, a house you never bought, or a job you never
held.

 Emphasize that if any of these things happen, the student should be

suspicious.

 ? Ask students what steps, if any, they should take if they suspect
someone has misused their personal information to commit fraud.

- PPT 6–7: Steps to Take

 If a student suspects or learns of identity theft:

 Explain that students should immediately contact their financial

institutions(s), bank(s), credit union(s), and credit card issuers to protect
access to their accounts, place stop payments on any stolen checks, change
PINs and passwords, and open new accounts, if necessary.

 Encourage students to ask their bank to notify the check verification

service with which it does business so that the company can use its
database to notify retailers not to accept stolen checks.

 Emphasize the importance of filing a report with their local police

department. Make sure you get a copy of the police report for your files. It

5|Preventing Identity Theft

 Script

will come in handy when proving to creditors and credit bureaus that you
are a victim of identity theft.

 Explain that lost or stolen driver’s licenses should be reported to the DMV
immediately and replaced. If they lose their passport, they need to report
this to the Department of State, Passport Services, Consular Lost/Stolen
Passport Section. (Links to both of those agencies are provided on the
PowerPoint.)

 Remind students that it is very important to contact the three major credit
reporting bureaus. Explain that students should request a “fraud alert” for
their credit bureau files and a victim’s statement asking creditors to call
them before opening new accounts or making changes to their existing
ones.

 Emphasize that the most common way for thieves to gain access to
personal and financial information is through a standard mailbox. Students
should make certain that mail cannot be stolen from their mailboxes.

 Explain that maintaining a written record of what happened and what steps
you took to report the fraud is important.

 Distribute the My Accounts Log activities.

- PPT 8: Keeping Track

 Encourage students to fill out this form and keep it in a safe place where
they can readily access it in the unfortunate event that their identity is
stolen. If you do not know your roommates well, you may need to store it
at home with mom and dad.

 ? Ask students if they think there is any liability on their part if someone
fraudulently uses their identity.

- PPT 9: Liabilities

 Explain that by law you only are liable for the first $50 of unauthorized
charges against a credit card account.

 Explain that if you report a lost or stolen debit card within two days, you
are only liable for $50, but if you wait three days you may be liable for
$500 or more if the thief continues to use the account. (For example, if
you had your debit card stolen and didn’t report it for several days, and
$300 was withdrawn from your account, you would be liable for that
$300.)

6|Preventing Identity Theft

 Script

 ? Ask students if, after hearing the facts about identity theft, they have
come up with any tips for preventing this crime from happening to them.

- PPT 10: Identity Theft Prevention Tips

 Share the following tips for safeguarding personal and financial

information:

 Unless you initiated the phone call and you are certain that you are
speaking to a representative of a reputable company, DO NOT give
out your Social Security number or account information.

 Buy a shredder or manually shred all of your receipts, bank statements,

and unused credit card offers. Some community organizations will
offer shredding services on a regular basis.

 Review your bank and credit card statements online or as soon as you
receive them. It’s a good idea to actually review your account activity
at least weekly.

 Do not share your PINs or passwords with anyone. Avoid using family
names, pet names, dates, and addresses that a thief easily can figure
out. Do not carry this information with you.

 Order copies of your credit reports once a year. You are entitled to one
free report yearly from each reporting agency.

 Remind students that victims of identity theft spend countless hours and
can incur serious out-of-pocket expenses in an effort to clear their names
and clean up their credit.

 ? Ask students how many of them think they are safe from identity theft.

- PPT 11: Think You Are Safe?

 Explain that according to the Federal Trade Commission, people between

18 to 29 years old were the most commonly affected age group. Victims’
information was misused most frequently in the following ways:

 33 percent credit card fraud involving new and existing accounts.

 21 percent phone and utilities fraud including new wireless

accounts.

 46 percent bank account fraud, employment-related fraud, and

government documents or benefits fraud.

7|Preventing Identity Theft

 Script

- PPT 12: Now What?

 Discuss actions they can take when they go home.

4. Thank students for their attendance and participation, and encourage them to practice
the identity theft prevention tips immediately!

8|Preventing Identity Theft