Identity Alert Home Page
Notification Letter
Protecting Your Credit
Press Release |
This website has been established to provide information about the theft of a computer from the Financial Aid Office. The announcement was made on January 26, 2007 and VUSC began notifying approximately 10,000 people whose names and certain personal information are in a database on that computer (see Notification Letter.) VUSC takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard personal information and regrets the inconvenience caused by this illegal and fraudulent activity.
Key Information
- The affected parties are limited to 5,105 students, and the parents of any of those students who are dependent children, whose names were included on student aid reports sent to VUSC for the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 academic years. If you are in this group, it does not mean that you are the victim of identity theft or that your Social Security number has been misused. A letter has been mailed to everyone included in this group (see Notification Letter.)
- A toll-free phone number has been established and you may call this number if you have questions regarding this situation. You may also request information by emailing identityalert@vanguard.edu.
- VUSC recommends that all those whose names and information were in the database on the stolen computer contact the three national credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on their credit files. A fraud alert instructs creditors to watch for unusual or suspicious activity, such as someone attempting to open a new credit card account in your name. A fraud alert entitles consumers to a free credit report from each of the three national credit bureaus. The alert can be reinstated after the initial 90-day period. Federal law also entitles consumers to one free credit report from each credit bureau once a year. By staggering the times at which you order your free credit reports from the various credit bureaus, you can monitor your own credit without incurring financial costs. Details on protecting your credit can be found at Protecting Your Credit.
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Vanguard University of Southern California