Press

PrivacyGuard Provides Tips for College Students to Protect and Detect Identity Theft

Stamford, Conn., September 7, 2011 - PrivacyGuard, a leading identity theft protection service from Affinion, announced today a list of tips for college students to help prevent identity theft. According to Javelin Research & Strategy, "Millennials," ages 18-24, have historically taken longer to detect fraudulent activity, and therefore, PrivacyGuard believes, been more likely than other age groups to be severely impacted when they are victims of identity theft.

College students are especially attractive targets for identity thieves because they have unblemished credit records, making it easier for thieves to take out loans in their name. Additionally, many students may not realize the potential for fraud and do not guard personal information as closely as they should. Students' Social Security Numbers may be listed on everything from dorm identification cards to report cards, making it easy for this information to fall into the hands of thieves. Universities and colleges have also come under attack from hackers in recent years as the value of the information they store has been recognized.

"Our hope is that college students everywhere have a productive and fun experience, one that is not marred by the potentially serious issue of identity theft," said Christine El Eris, Director of PrivacyGuard. "In addition to having the option to protect themselves through services like PrivacyGuard, there are also some simple steps that students can take to minimize their risk."

Tips for College Students on How to Avoid Identity Theft

1. Enjoy a Night Out, But Come Home with Your Wallet
   The most common way that criminals obtain personal information is through lost or stolen wallets with 42% obtaining information this way. So, when students go to a football game, the movies or a campus event, it is important that they guard their wallets or purses that contain their personal information. Also, do not carry unnecessary and very sensitive forms of ID such as social security cards in a wallet.
2. Check Credit Card Statements Regularly, Credit Monitoring is a Helpful Tool
   Students should check credit card and bank statements monthly if not more frequently for any unusual activity. A credit monitoring service can be a valuable tool in fighting and detecting identity theft, helping students detect if there is any new account fraud, a pernicious form of ID theft. New account fraud cannot be detected through just checking existing account statements.
3. Make New Friends, But Remain Alert
   Living on campus or off provides students the opportunity to make a lot of new friends, a major benefit of being part of a college community. At the same time, "friendly fraud" is on the rise with 14% of fraud victims discovering that their friends, family, or co-workers are stealing their identities. Especially in a group living environment where personal information may be out in the open and doors unlocked, friendly fraud can be a risk for college students. So make new friends, but make sure documents containing personal information are in a safe, secure place.
4. Share Study Tips, Not Passwords
   While it can be tempting to share personal information, students should never share debit card PIN numbers, computer passwords with anyone.
5. Protect Computer, Accounts
   College students, like everyone else, need to make sure they are using anti-viral solutions and stay on the alert against phishing scams.

About PrivacyGuard
PrivacyGuard is a comprehensive credit reporting, credit monitoring and identity theft protection service that helps you maintain control over your most critical information. Combining state-of-the-art credit protection and reporting with superior customer service, PrivacyGuard offers the comprehensive tools and support needed to help secure your life. A product of the Affinion Security Center, PrivacyGuard is endorsed by top identity theft expert, noted author and government consultant Frank Abagnale. For more information on PrivacyGuard and its industry-leading services, please visit privacyguard.com.

Media Contact: Mike Bush I PrivacyGuard I 203-956-8038 I mbush@affinion.com

FTC Reports Tax and Wage Related Identity Theft as the Most Prevalent Complaint in 2010

Stamford, Conn., February 11, 2012 – PrivacyGuard, a leading identity theft and credit management product of the Affinion Security Center, announced today the results of its annual tax and identity theft survey. The survey found that while consumers remain concerned about identity theft, there are some common misconceptions about the risk of preparing and submitting their tax documents, and many are engaging in risky behaviors online that could lead to identity theft.

The Federal Trade Commission's 2010 Consumer Complaint Report, listed tax or wage related fraud as the cause of 15% of identity theft claims, higher than credit card fraud, employment fraud, bank fraud, or loan fraud.

Worried About Data Breaches; Careless When it Comes to Online Passwords
PrivacyGuard's survey of 500 people revealed that respondents were aware of the possible risks of sharing personal information during a transaction. 88% reported that they worry that the organization they are sharing their personal information with could suffer a data breach. Retailers were chosen overwhelmingly (46%) as the least trustworthy institution, followed by credit card companies and government agencies. When a data breach occurs, respondents are more likely (38%) to blame the institution that was breached than the thieves that stole the data (34%).

Although respondents expressed concern about data breaches, the survey reflected some carelessness among consumers when protecting their account information. Only 31% had a unique password for each site they use, which could increase the risk of identity theft.

Leary of Tax Preparers; Taking Risks with Online Tax Submission
Respondents expressed mistrust of their tax preparers, with 53% feeling concerned or very concerned about identity theft when choosing a tax preparer. This number is up from 41% in 2011.

Postal mail continued to be the most trustworthy of delivery options with most respondents (60%) listing it as the most secure way to file their taxes. However, the majority of respondents (53%) assumes the risk and submits their taxes online.

Low Awareness of IRS Contact Methods
Respondents have grown increasingly ignorant about the methods the IRS uses to initiate contact with tax payers, with many selecting the wrong option: 40% believe the IRS can contact them via email, mail or phone and 4% believe that the IRS will contact them through email. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers through email. Last year the survey results showed a similar trend, with 50% selecting the email, mail or phone option.

“Americans have become increasingly concerned about the risk of identity theft over the past few years,” said Christine El Eris, Director of Product for PrivacyGuard. “However, taxpayers need to be aware of the unique risks they face during tax season.”

PrivacyGuard would like to help educate consumers with the following tips on how to prevent identity theft during tax season:

When Preparing Your Return

1. Be Aware of Suspicious Emails and Phone Calls Regarding Your Tax Refund, Tax Filing or Any Stimulus Checks – Check the IRS website for tips on how to spot scammers and thieves posing as the IRS and a list of known phishes.
2. Be Diligent When Choosing Your Tax Preparers – Ensure that you are working with a credible firm and be extra cautious about new or seasonal offices. Check the IRS website for more tips on how to choose a tax preparer.
3. Secure your computer – If you file taxes electronically, be sure to install updated firewalls and anti-spyware protection to help keep your personal data out of the hands of thieves.

During and After Filing

1. Mail securely – If you file via mail, be sure to mail your return directly from the post office – do not leave your tax return in your unlocked mailbox or at the curb for pickup by your local mail carrier. Your personal information will be vulnerable until it is retrieved by the postal carrier. It is wise to send tax information by first class mail with a tracking number.
2. Safeguard Sensitive Information in Home and Outside – Frequently the greatest threat to personal information comes from service providers or in-home workers or acquaintances. Keep paperwork in a safe location. When carrying this information out of the house, be sure to keep it on you or make sure if you leave it in the car, it is not visible.
3. Micro-Shred Your Documents – Cross-cut shredders just don't “cut” it these days. Use a micro-cut shredder for maximum security. The shred size on micro-cut machines is much smaller - documents are literally turned into dust, offering the highest level of security. And since even a seven year- old receipt can be used by a thief, shredding is still one of the simplest ways to prevent identity theft.

Consider Identity Theft Protection Services
For extra identity protection, taxpayers should consider enrolling in an identity theft protection program such as PrivacyGuard.

About PrivacyGuard
PrivacyGuard is a product of Affinion Security Center (ASC), a global leader in providing identity protection and data security solutions to corporations and individuals. For over 35 years products within ASC have been powering many of the world's leading personal data protection solutions offered to consumers by local, national and multi-national enterprises in the financial sector. ASC currently protects over 15 million subscribers with services including IdentitySecure, PrivacyGuard, PC SafetyPlus and Hotline, and serves enterprise and government agencies with the data breach preparation and response tool, BreachShield. Affinion Security Center is part of the steering committee of the Identity Theft Prevention and Identity Management Standards Panel (IDSP).
For more information please visit www.affinionsecuritycenter.com.

Media Contact: Mike Bush I PrivacyGuard I 203-956-8038 I mbush@affinion.com