With the fall semester in full swing, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs urges college students to stay alert and informed to better protect themselves from the serious crime of identity theft. Don’t make yourself an easy target for such thieves. Some tips that will help Tennessee college students protect their identities include keeping a regular check on your credit report, know how to spot “phishing”, a way that identity thieves use to get personal information, change passwords frequently and don’t place private information on public computers. An ounce of prevention now will prevent a pound of problems later.