Page 60 - Life In Naples Magazine - November 2015
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IDENTITY FRAUD INSTITUTE
COMBATS IDENTITY
THEFT EPIDEMIC
I dentity theft. There is nothing you 10 workshops within the academic year ( July- CARRIE KERSKIE
can do to prevent it. There is nothing June). The annual membership fee is $200 per
you can do to stop it. You can’t protect person. Advanced registration for all workshops
what is already out there. According is required. Members will receive preferred
to Carrie Kerskie, director of the Identity registration and advanced notice of upcoming
Fraud Institute at Hodges University, the workshops. Workshops are also available to the
only thing you can do is look for warning public at a fee of $25 per session.
signs so if something happens, you can take
the appropriate and immediate steps needed In addition, the institute is offering free,
to restore your identity. 30-minute consultations for victims of identity
fraud once a month at the Hodges University
“Education is the first line of defense in campuses in Naples and Fort Myers. Open
the fight against identity theft. The more you to the public, individuals must schedule an
know, the less likely you are to become the appointment and can expect to leave with
next victim,” says Kerskie. actionable recommendations specific to their
case. In development is a program that will
This is why the mission of Hodges certify participants as identity theft advisors, giving them an opportunity to also
University’s newly formed Identity Fraud help other victims.
Institute is to learn, share and collaborate.
The institute serves as the central hub for all The Collier Identity Theft Task Force serves as the official advisory council of
identity theft and fraud-related information the Identity Fraud Institute. Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk is the co-
in and throughout the state of Florida, as well founder of the task force and, alongside Hodges University president, Dr. David
as provides victim assistance programs. For Borofsky, is a driving force behind the support of the institute.
more than seven years, Florida has ranked
first nationwide for identity fraud complaints, The Collier Identity Theft Task Force consists of several businesses and
with Naples ranking fifth of all cities in the organizations including the Collier County Sheriff ’s Office, local police
United States in 2014. departments, the Internal Revenue Service, the AARP, among others, who joined
together in the interest of protecting local citizens and educating them on identity
Citizen education is a prominent fraud and theft.
component of the Identity Fraud Institute.
The institute offers workshops to the public As the advisory council to the Identity Fraud Institute, the task force provides
to introduce and raise awareness of the many guidance for the institute, pulling from members’ experience with identity theft
forms of identity theft and how to identify in the local community. The institute will allow for the task force to continue its
each. Topics included are smartphone privacy, mission, providing untapped resources and bringing organizations together for a
credit fraud, medical identity theft, social multi-faceted approach to identifying solutions to identity fraud and theft. The
media safety, and phishing emails. A complete partnership strengthens the impact of both the institute and the task force, while
list of upcoming workshops is available at benefitting the community.
http://www.hodges.edu/identity/events.aspx.
“The challenge of identity theft and cyber security is of great concern to our
Attendees and members of the Identity community, state and nation,” said Borofsky. “By utilizing the resources of our
Fraud Institute Educational Program will faculty and the members of the task force, we are able to work together to provide
not only learn how to identify identity fraud public information, education, training and other activities to help the people of
and scams, but they will also leave each our area protect themselves.”
presentation equipped with steps to take
when victimized. For more information regarding the Hodges University Identity Fraud Institute,
contact Kerskie at ckerskie@hodges.edu or 239.598.6281.
Membership in the Identity Fraud
Institute’s Educational Program includes Carrie Kerskie is the director of the Hodges University Identity Fraud Institute, an
identity fraud expert, Florida Licensed Private Investigator and local resource on data
breach issues, as well as author of Your Public Identity: Because Nothing is Private Anymore.
60 Life in Naples | November 2015
