Rutgers Offers Identity Theft Resolution Service to Students, Faculty, and Staff

Rutgers Offers Identity Theft Resolution Service to Students, Faculty, and Staff

University Responds to Growing Concerns About Information Security

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. and PISCATAWAY, N.J., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- To assist members of the university community who may be victimized by identity theft, Rutgers University is offering a new service to students, faculty, and staff that guides them in resolving some of the issues that may result from this crime.

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The university recently partnered with Identity Theft 911, an Arizona- based company that provides institutions and individuals with assistance when faced with identity theft or fraud.

The service is among a series of initiatives undertaken by Rutgers that includes plans to phase out the use of Social Security numbers as default student identifiers and to increase protection against data and identity theft. Under a new state law, educators must cease posting Social Security numbers on class rosters, grade lists, student identification cards, and directories as of January 26, 2006. The university aims to replace the current system with permanent ID numbers, according to Karen Kavanagh, executive vice president for administrative affairs.

"As our concern grows regarding potential breaches to personal data security, Rutgers is taking steps both to decrease the risk and to offer services that help victims," Kavanagh said. "Identity Theft 911 fills a need for hands-on assistance in the event of identity theft. Students, faculty, and staff members who are victims of identity theft will have an expert assigned to them to help them through the process of restoring their identity."

The service will assist identity theft victims in negotiating the often complex process required to notify appropriate agencies and organizations in order to restore their identity. Identity Theft 911 also will allow the university to track identity theft statistics and alert the university administration to potential frauds, as well as help employees and students deal with situations with the potential for fraud, such as the loss or theft of important documents.

Rutgers is the first university to sign an agreement with Identity Theft 911. Its clients include banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. The service is free for all faculty, staff and students.

"Every day we see new evidence of the growing threat of identity theft to American academic institutions -- from rampant database breaches to 20-year- old students with credit histories ruined by fraud," said Adam Levin, chairman of Identity Theft 911 and former director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. "As the first U.S. university to offer its students, faculty, and staff a comprehensive program of identity theft services, Rutgers provides a shining example to colleges and universities across America. Identity Theft 911 congratulates Rutgers for stepping up on behalf of the university community. We're honored that Rutgers has chosen us to join them in fighting this epidemic."

Identity theft has become a costly and time-consuming problem. In 2004, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 635,000 consumer fraud and identity theft complaints. Consumers reported losses from fraud of more than $547 million.

The university's Office of Compliance, Student Policy and Judicial Affairs also offers information on preventing identity theft online at polcomp.rutgers.edu/identity.shtml.

About Identity Theft 911

Identity Theft 911 (www.identitytheft911.com) provides enterprise-level fraud solutions to Fortune 500 companies, a wide spectrum of financial institutions, and many of America's largest insurance companies and corporate benefits providers. Identity Theft 911 is the recognized leader in identity theft victim resolution, defense, and education, with over 2.5 million households currently included in its retainer-based RB421 program. Online Banking Report named Identity Theft 911 one of "the 10 most significant innovations and developments of 2003," including the company on its list of "10 industry developments that provide the best glimpse at the future of online financial services delivery."

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Source: Identity Theft 911

CONTACT: Sandra Lanman of Rutgers University, +1-732-932-7084, ext. 621,
or slanman@ur.rutgers.edu; or Mark Durham, Communications Director of Identity
Theft 911, +1-414-321-1946, or mdurham@identitytheft911.com

Web site: http://www.identitytheft911.com/

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