When shopping for back-to-school technology, most students think of a new laptop, an external hard drive or a tablet. But what about making sure your classmates are keeping their eyes on their own paper this fall? According to the Federal Bureau of Consumer Protection, students age 20-29 are most likely to be victims of identity theft, making identity protection a serious concern on college campuses.
Many students use VPN services to ensure their identity cannot be stolen online. By funneling all online information through a private, encrypted server, students can hide an IP address so cyber crooks never get an
accurate read on where you are, what you are doing or how much you are spending.
College students are perfect targets for identity thieves. They usually have a large amount of disposable income, furnished by mom and dad or student loans; they often spend large portions of the day online; and they are constantly passing personal info through school websites and campus Wi-Fi networks. In short, today's college campus makes private browsing nearly impossible, making students vulnerable to hacking, snooping and identity theft. But a VPN account allows students to browse anonymously from anywhere.
Your identity includes your name, address, phone number, email, social security number, mother’s maiden name, ATM pin, date of birth, and account numbers or usernames. Any combination of these can provide enough information for an identify thief to steal from you. By protecting these pieces of information, you can ensure that you will not become a victim.
The Bureau of Consumer Protection also recommends monitoring your credit score, shredding bills and offers that contain personal information, limiting credit card usage and leaving your social security cards at home. But for online activity, VPN services can protect your digital life as well.