Financial Aid and Money Management

Make sure to visit the Daytona State College Financial Aid page

for the most current information and contacts to assist you with your questions. 

What is Identity Theft?

Your personal information is your financial identity, but also to your online identity. Knowing how to protect your information — and your identity — is a must in the 21^st century. Identity (ID) theft happens when someone steals your personal information to commit fraud. The identity thief may use your information to fraudulently apply for credit, file taxes, or get medical services. These acts can damage your credit status, and cost you time and money to restore your good name.

How can I protect myself?

Tips for protecting your financial information:

• Keep your social security card in a secure location. Do not carry your social security card on your person i.e. in a wallet or purse.
• Never share your social security number or other personally identifiable information in an environment where others can hear you.
• Be suspicious of email requests asking for financial information or personally identifiable information.
• If you think you have been a victim of identity theft or other financial fraud contact all three credit agencies to initiate a fraud alert.

Your financial information is sensitive and should be kept confidential. You should keep your financial information and other personally identifiable information private. Unfortunately, there are criminals who prey on unsuspecting people and commit fraudulent activities. With the right information, the wrong person could make charges to your accounts, open new credit accounts or even file your taxes and receive your tax return.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission for advice to reduce your risk in the following areas:

Limiting Unwanted Calls & Emails

• Some phone calls and emails are important, some can be annoying, and others are just plain illegal. Learn how to reduce the number of unwanted messages you get by phone and online.

Online Security

• The internet offers access to a world of products and services, entertainment and information. At the same time, it creates opportunities for scammers, hackers, and identity thieves. Learn how to protect your computer, your information, and your online files.

Protecting Kids Online

• The opportunities kids have to socialize online come with benefits and risks. Adults can help reduce the risks by talking to kids about making safe and responsible decisions.

Identity Theft

• While identity theft can happen to anyone, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk. If you think someone is using your personal information to open accounts, file taxes, or make purchases, visit IdentityTheft.gov to report and recover from identity theft.

• This U.S. Government site not only give advice about protecting your identity, but it also provides great informaiton about common scams and how to protect yourself from them.
• This article from Equifax - How Can I Better Protect Against Identity Theft? one of the credit reporting bureaus, shares habits you should establish now to prevent the likelihood of identity theft later.
• This article from PC Magazine - Prevent Identity Theft With These 10 Essential Steps -looks at identify theft from the perspective of your devices and how to add security features to them. 
• This IRS page about tax fraud has information and videos that highlight the impacts of being a victim and how to avoid becoming one.  Many of us think about credit fraud but forget about this common identity theft crime. 
• This is a great video that explains identity theft and how to check on your status. How To Prevent Identity Theft