Holy Cross Teaches Students How to Protect Themselves From Identity Theft

While most college students prepare themselves for new experiences when they go away to school, identity theft isn’t usually one of them. But with the increasing use of technology, research shows that college students and campuses are big targets of identity thieves.

In a recent interview with Inside Higher Ed, Holy Cross Chief Information Officer Ellen Keohane '83 cautions students against one of the common tactics used by identity thieves, email phishing schemes.

Keohane also points to some of her department's efforts to stem identity theft and bring awareness to this issue on campus, which include "self-phishing" campaigns to help students identify potential phishing schemes, and two-step verification processes for emails.

"We always tell students, who are so immersed in technology, to slow down," Keohane said. "When you see an email, you want to click on it right away, but stop and consider the circumstances. The way all of us use technology is too quick, and that’s how you get in trouble and fall for phishing."

To read the full article, go to InsideHigherEd.com.