Is our identity ever really protected?

In the beginning of July I received a mailer from my school, The University of Maryland, it wasn't until July 17th when I checked my e-mail that learned the fine print of what was written on the front of the ad: my social security number. This is how the e-mail began: On July 1, 2008, the University of Maryland's Department of Transportation Services sent all registered students, by U.S. mail, a brochure with on-campus parking information. On July 8, 2008, the University discovered that the labels on that mailing included the addressees' Social Security numbers.

Now, it isn't marked by the words "social security number" or "SNN," but the nine digits above my name on the mailer could be threat to my privacy.

Now, might I add that I am not the only one that received an ad in the mail with this major mistake, all 35,000+ students registered at UMD received the same mailer with their own SSN printed above their name. I thought that colleges used "directory Id's" or numbers that distinguish them so that the risk of SSN's being used are eliminated.

The aspect of this mix up is not that someone saw my Social Security Number on the mailer while it was on the way to my house, but the fact that all of the registered students at the University of Maryland have their Social Security Number stored somewhere other than the University of Maryland. Can we really ever trust who we give our information to? Even our College?

The rest of the e-mail stated the steps we must take on our own to protect ourselves from the University's unfortunate mistake:

Although there is no current information that anyone's Social Security number has been misused, the University suggests that you take the following precautionary steps:

* Immediately place a free 90-day fraud alert on your consumer credit file. A fraud alert is a consumer statement dded to your credit report. This statement alerts creditors of possible fraudulent activity within your report. It also requests that creditors contact you prior to establishing any accounts in your name. Once the fraud alert is added to your credit report, all creditors should contact you prior to establishing any account in your name. If you opt to contract for the Equifax service, you can place a fraud alert through Equifax, as explained below; or you can do it by contacting the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ("FTC".) To place a fraud alert through the FTC: Go to the FTC's Web site, http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft/ or call 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338).

* You may also place a security freeze on your credit file. A security freeze prevents potential credit issuers from accessing your credit file without your consent, and makes it unlikely that credit will be issued in your name. Information about how to place a security freeze can be found at the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft/ (look under Consumers on the menu, and select "DETER: MINIMIZE YOUR RISK") or by calling the FTC at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338).

The University is also offering a 12-month Equifax credit monitoring service, at no charge to you, to ensure that you have support necessary to monitor the security of your personal data. This program allows you to contract directly with Equifax for access to your credit report, credit monitoring, customer care, and fraud expense reimbursement insurance. To do this, you must select your choice of Equifax service, and enroll with Equifax by September 10, 2008. You can choose either Equifax Credit Watch Gold, an online service, or Equifax Credit Watch by Mail, a service done through the U.S. Mail. Program services and enrollment information are described at http://www.transportation.umd.edu/parkingmailer.

For additional information about this incident and Equifax services, please visit the University's Web site at http://www.transportation.umd.edu/parkingmailer. You may e-mail questions to the University at parkingmailer@umd.edu. If you don't have Internet access, or you wish to speak with someone at the University, call toll-free, 1-877-935-2428, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., EST.