Monday, August 22, 2005
An unidentified company required University of Kansas students to disclose personal information in exchange for free food.
One student was shocked when she was asked to give out her private information.
“I was outraged, I was really mad. I said ‘how can you expect me to give you my social security number.’ Then the guy looked at me like I was stupid,” said Stephanie Bonsen, Minneapolis, Minn., freshman. “So I just tore up my form and walked away. It was totally unbusiness-like. The people handing the papers out were wearing street clothes,”
Students who responded to a flyer mistaked the company for a local CiCi’s Pizza restaurant giving away a free buffet and drink. Last week, the company passed out flyers throughout campus.
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“When I first got the flier it said ‘CiCi’s Pizza’ really big, so I thought it was a legit deal. The paper said do a ‘three-minute student activity’ and I thought it was just a survey, I did not know it had to do with a credit card, said Courney Steele, Leavenworth freshman.
The company refused to comment or provide any details regarding identities, contact information, or even a copy of the credit card application.
CiCi’s Pizza, 2020 W. 23rd St., has nothing to do with the flier, said Frank Clem, general manager.
“We are not affiliated with the company. We are not offering them any kind of
discount,” he said. “They are on their own.”
During the three-minute activity, students were required to provide their social security number, mother’s maiden name, phone number and address.
Several students thought they were filling out a credit card application for Visa because the Visa logo appeared on the form. However a Visa representative said Visa followed strict credit card application procedures.
“We don’t offer Visa cards directly to customers. Do not give out any of your personal info until you know that it is a real company, usually associated with a bank,” said Julie, Visa representative No. P74. Visa does not disclose last names of its representatives.
Michael Maddison, Chicago senior, willingly filled out the detailed application.
“I gave them my real social just because it was a force of habit when filling out forms,” he said. “I didn’t think there would be any harm in it. I ate the food, but it was not really worth it.”
Although the company required students to fill out two sets of forms, Mitch Sandow, Salina senior, found a way to out smart the system.
“I did not give them my real number, I put my social with one number off," Sandow said.
Capt. Schuyler Bailey, KU Public Safety Office, said students should inform the local police about the situation. Students should also report a suspicious company to the Consumer Credit Affairs Division of Kansas.
“Whatever you do, don’t give people you don’t know your personal information. It is very dangerous,” Bailey said. “You never know what they could do with it in the future.
Disclosure of personal information increases the risk of identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission Web site.
Victims of identity theft could incur debt, have personal information, such as addresses and phone numbers, changed and could become warranted for police arrest, according to the Federal Trade Commission,
In order to prevent possible identity theft, call the National Consumers League, a toll free hot line dealing with credit card frauds at 1-800-870-7060, or visit http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm.
— Edited by Nate KarlinCredit card scam put to an end ...
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