With apologies to Paul Simon (for those feeling nostalgic, here’s a Youtube video).  Ok, back to the post. Interesting way to get students to sit up and take notice about the threats of identity theft.  I pulled a sample of 2-3 minute videos from the last month that show how the bad guys operate.  As students watch the videos below, have them jot down the scheme, how they can protect themselves from becoming a victim and what they should do if they are victimized.  Happy viewing!

• Cary police looking for credit card cloning suspect (ABC11.com, runtime: 2:15)
• Police find more victims in Dunkin Donuts credit card scheme (WFMZ.com, runtime 1:58)
• Credit card skimmers found at ATMs at Park Meadow Mall (KDVR.com, runtime 2:05)
• Police warn of credit card breaches at local car wash (News10.com, runtime 2:59)

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.