2008 Woodie Awards
Credit card identity theft scare on campus
By: Joanna Ruff
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: News
Beginning as early as November of last year, credit card information was stolen at the California State University, Stanislaus campus dining center. Currently, absolutely no credit or debit cards are to be used at the center due to these fraudulent activities.
Tyler Etter, a CSU Stanislaus student, was one of the early victims of stolen credit card information. His card was charged twice beginning in November, once in Canada and another in Mexico totaling about $2,800 in damages. When Etter noticed his bank statements were incorrect, he contacted his bank and was reimbursed for the money.
Standing outside the campus eatery, signs are posted at every entrance, at every cash register and even on all sides of the salad bar stating in bold capitol letters: At this time, we are not accepting credit/debit cards as the network is currently down.
Tim Miller, the campus dining general manager, received a call during winter break from the campus police reporting stolen credit card information. Both the hi-tech crime unit and the Stanislaus county sheriffs department began their investigation at that time, and no answers have been publicly announced. Sedexho, the food management company CSU Stanislaus is contracted through, is also conducting their own private investigation.
No information as to how many students were affected or how much money was attempted stolen has surfaced. Speculation buzzing around campus is that someone somehow found their way into the dining center's computer system and accessed students' credit card information.
The thought that a campus diner employee was involved is a possibility, but slim. Yolanda Moody, the administrative assistant to Miller, said, "Half of our employees don't even know how to send a text message." Many of the campus diner employees have been loyal workers for numerous years, and management doubts their involvement.
Gary Wolz, a CSU Stanislaus senior, says that he doesn't want to be "walking around bewildered, wondering who has my information." Wolz uses a warrior card by entering his credit card information online. His concern is that if there was in fact a breach in the dining center's computer system, what then stops the perpetrator from robbing him of his information? Wolz's wife is an employee of CSU Stanislaus, and she received an email of the credit card fraud, but he did not. Wolz is confused as to why the campus did not send an email to the students, whom the credit fraud would directly affect.
Although many concerns are at a climax, the investigation is still pending and no one source to point blame has been met. Students are being advised to carefully watch their bank statements, and if a discretion is found to contact the campus police at 667-3114.
Tyler Etter, a CSU Stanislaus student, was one of the early victims of stolen credit card information. His card was charged twice beginning in November, once in Canada and another in Mexico totaling about $2,800 in damages. When Etter noticed his bank statements were incorrect, he contacted his bank and was reimbursed for the money.
Standing outside the campus eatery, signs are posted at every entrance, at every cash register and even on all sides of the salad bar stating in bold capitol letters: At this time, we are not accepting credit/debit cards as the network is currently down.
Tim Miller, the campus dining general manager, received a call during winter break from the campus police reporting stolen credit card information. Both the hi-tech crime unit and the Stanislaus county sheriffs department began their investigation at that time, and no answers have been publicly announced. Sedexho, the food management company CSU Stanislaus is contracted through, is also conducting their own private investigation.
No information as to how many students were affected or how much money was attempted stolen has surfaced. Speculation buzzing around campus is that someone somehow found their way into the dining center's computer system and accessed students' credit card information.
The thought that a campus diner employee was involved is a possibility, but slim. Yolanda Moody, the administrative assistant to Miller, said, "Half of our employees don't even know how to send a text message." Many of the campus diner employees have been loyal workers for numerous years, and management doubts their involvement.
Gary Wolz, a CSU Stanislaus senior, says that he doesn't want to be "walking around bewildered, wondering who has my information." Wolz uses a warrior card by entering his credit card information online. His concern is that if there was in fact a breach in the dining center's computer system, what then stops the perpetrator from robbing him of his information? Wolz's wife is an employee of CSU Stanislaus, and she received an email of the credit card fraud, but he did not. Wolz is confused as to why the campus did not send an email to the students, whom the credit fraud would directly affect.
Although many concerns are at a climax, the investigation is still pending and no one source to point blame has been met. Students are being advised to carefully watch their bank statements, and if a discretion is found to contact the campus police at 667-3114.
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