In 2003, 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft, a 41 percent increase from 2002, according to U.S. News and World Report.

And while some college students would not list ID theft as one of their top concerns, they can become tangled in moneymaking scams.

“It is somewhat of a problem on campus,” said Karen Spoley, a lieutenant with the University of Wisconsin Police, noting fall is an especially risky time for students.

She said some credit card companies have questionable practices that include calling students and asking for personal information like social security numbers or their mothers’ maiden names.

“A lot of times students will give out that information,” she said.

Spoley said another type of ID theft common to students occurs when a student’s wallet gets stolen. The thief then has access to lots of personal information — and some students are slow to cancel their credit cards, she added.

Kathy Estock from the UW Credit Union marketing department said in an e-mail that there is a new scam specifically targeting college students.

A bogus website claims to offer college scholarships. After students submit personal information to apply, they receive a “congrats” notification awarding several thousand dollars.

Students later receive a check in the mail for an amount exceeding what they expected and a letter asking them to wire the difference. The original check, however, is fraudulent, causing students to lose several thousand dollars.

Estock stressed that anyone can be a victim of ID theft.

“If you carry credit cards, a social security card, a driver’s license, a credit card — anybody with identifying information could be a victim,” she said.

She advised students to read their bank statements immediately, as fraudulent charges can go unnoticed until weeks or months after the attack. She suggested students sign up for electronic services so they can view statements days before they would receive them by mail. She said this also limits the paper trail of personal information bank statements leave.

According to the Credit Union website, the Federal Trade Commission warns Internet users not to be fooled by phony e-mails or websites claiming to be a national “Do Not E-Mail” registry.

Criminals created the phony registry to collect consumers’ personal information for identity theft purposes, or to collect valid e-mail addresses to sell to spammers.

Estock said UW Credit Union has purchased additional identity fraud insurance coverage for all UW Credit Union credit cards.

“Coverage helps victims re-coup costs from identity fraud, such as long distance phone calls, attorney fees, lost wages, postage, credit report corrections,” she said.

She also said students should request a copy of their credit bureau reports at least annually and review them for any newly-opened accounts. Students can get a free credit report by signing up for True Credit Profile through Trans Union credit bureau. To avoid paying anything, students can simply cancel the service within 30 days.

Estock said students should not respond to unsolicited e-mails requesting personal information or to e-mails containing links. The links can direct the reader to a phony website that looks legitimate.

College and university computer systems are a goldmine of personal information for criminals, especially when students use their social security numbers for identification, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The University of Georgia and New York University had consequential incidents with criminals hacking into students’ information last year.

Estock said students forget many documents, such as medical bills and paychecks, also use social security numbers as identification. Not shredding such documents allows criminals to steal personal information.

Spoley is unsure whether students represent a target group nationwide. However, she said, “Any group that is kind of naíve can be a target group, and students, especially incoming freshmen, can be naíve.”