Identity Fraud Possibility Linked
To Use of Social Security Number

By Laura Micheli
CyberNews Staff Reporter

February 26, 2002

Use of students' Social Security numbers as their school identification numbers is moving to the forefront of campus issues at Drake University after the Feb. 19 issue of The Times-Delphic reported three cases of credit card fraud in the past month.

Student Chris Branding (FA1) said he feels it is inappropriate to use Social Security numbers as student I.D. numbers. He began to feel this way after learning that someone had obtained his Social Security number to commit I.D. fraud. The violator used the number to apply for and obtain Sears and JCPenney credit cards and to attempt to open a Capital One bank account.

Branding called the three credit card companies, the credit bureau, the Des Moines Police Department and Drake Campus Security to stop the use of the credit cards and his Social Security number.

"It was a big hassle," Branding said.

Branding said he felt that the acquisition of his Social Security number could be related to the fact that Drake students use their Social Security number as their I.D. number as well.

"Our Social Security number is thrown out so much around campus," Branding said. He suggested maybe Drake's Internet sites or computers are not secure.

Nancy Geiger, Drake's registrar, said she did not feel having their Social Security numbers written on their cards or used frequently on the Internet poses a great threat to students' privacy.

"The Social Security number is just one piece of information," she said. "It is usually paired with a PIN or some other piece of information."

However, she did acknowledge that credit card and identity fraud are growing crimes and that Drake has a "concentration of 3,000-5,000 potential victims."

Drake will be transitioning to a new administrative software beginning in the year 2003. Under this software, students will be registering for new computer generated I.D. numbers late in the spring of 2003. The switch between programs will likely be about a four-year project, according to administrative projections.

Geiger said the main reason for the change in I.D. numbers is that "we are already going to be changing the software, it's a good time to change." It is also because of the growing awareness of identity theft and the increased frequency of Drake students having problems.

The change of I.D. numbers will mark the first time since Social Security numbers were created in the 1940s that Drake students will no longer use their Social Security numbers as their I.D. numbers as well.

"We are not being legally forced to do so (change I.D. numbers), we are just taking advantage of the system change," Geiger said.

If students should feel uncomfortable about using their Social Security number as their I.D. number for any reason, they can change their I.D. number by contacting Geiger. Requests to make this change are only made "once or twice a year," Geiger said.

It has not yet been decided if student I.D. numbers will be printed on new cards once issued under the different administrative system.

"It is possible that the barcode and mag stripe could have the number encoded in them, but it won't be written directly on the card... there are many options that we are playing with," Geiger said.

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