Florida State University has been notified of a computer security breach at Northwest Florida State College that may include the personal information of some current or former FSU students eligible for Bright Futures scholarships for the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school years.
Northwest Florida State College continues to investigate the breach and will be responsible for notifying individuals if their personal identification information, including Social Security numbers, may have been accessed from the Internet. The college is coordinating its efforts with the Division of Florida Colleges in the Department of Education.
Florida State continues to monitor the situation and will assist if asked. For the time being, FSU is referring students to Northwest Florida State College. For updates on the investigation and information on what you should do if you believe you may be affected, visit www.nwfsc.edu/security.
Northwest Florida State College recommends the following:
- Bright Futures scholars from 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 who attended any Florida college or university may call (800) 688-0656.
- If you notice improper use of your Social Security number and believe you may be the victim of identity theft, contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/idtheft or call (877) ID-THEFT (438-4338).
- Affected persons may also call their local law enforcement agency and file a police report of identity theft, keeping a copy of the police report.
- Students who have attended or are attending Northwest Florida State College should contact Christine Bishop at registrar@nwfsc.edu.
- To protect from the possibility of identity theft, affected individuals may place a free fraud alert on their credit files, which notifies creditors to contact individuals before opening new accounts in their name. Call any one of the three major credit reporting agencies at the numbers below to place a fraud alert:
Experian — (888) 397-3742
Equifax — (888) 766-0008
TransUnion — (800) 680-7289