Imagine graduating from college with thousands of dollars of unauthorized debt and a wrecked credit rating - all because someone stole your identity. Of the almost 675,000 identity theft complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission in 2006, 29 percent came from young adults. According to a 2006 U.S. Department of Justice report, households headed by persons ages 18-24 were more likely to experience identity theft than all other ages.

As a college student, your child may be vulnerable to identity theft because of the availability of personal information and the way many students handle this data. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance wants to help you understand identity theft, and the steps you can take to help ensure your college student does not become a victim.

More Information from Mass.gov