1. Identity Theft Since 2005, there has been a dramatic increase in the occurrence of identity theft among students online.

2. Do you know anyone who has had one of their Internet accounts logged into by someone who doesn’t own the account?

3. What is identity theft? When someone obtains/steals and uses your personal information to pretend to be you online by logging into one of your personal accounts.

4. Why do people do it? 3 Reasons -To harass, embarrass, humiliate or hurt you -To steal money from you or your parents’ online banking or credit card accounts -To steal valuables from other accounts online

5. How does it occur? Student give out their passwords (greatest cause) Someone sees you enter your password Students don’t log off properly from a computer Students leave “selected” a check box such as “Remember my password” Students use passwords that are very easy to crack by others Students leave passwords written on paper Hacker applications (key loggers, spyware) may capture your password Students may be tricked into entering passwords into phishing sites. Phishing occurs when criminal trick you into visiting fake web sites designed to look like real sites – happens with MySpace and Facebook – Visitors enter their personal information, which is then sent directly to the criminals

6. What to think about How much time to you spend online? Have you visited sites asking for personal information? Do you frequently reveal information like your name, birth date, etc. online? Have you ever made a purchase online?

7. How do you protect yourself? Do not sign up to receive email notifications by web sites Avoid going to sites that require personal information when using computers other than your own Do not allow auto-saving of personal information Do not use auto-fill features Never give out your private email address – use a disposable one Never publish your private email address Do not respond to pop-up advertisements Set your browser to block “third-party” cookies Never share your password

8. Credits Safe Practices for Life Online A Guide for Middle and High School Students Student Edition Doug Fodeman Marje Monroe Directors, Children Online.org