Protect yourself

Protect yourself

Avoid being intoxicated.

Do not walk alone at night.

Stay in well-lighted areas.

Pay attention to your surroundings and be alert.

Check out building entrances, stairways and vehicles before you enter.

Trust your instincts; if you feel uncomfortable about someone near you, go to a populated place or yell for help.

Do not automatically open a door; know the identity of a visitor first.

If you have a cell phone, carry it with you and be ready to dial 911.

For UI students, the dean's office has whistles to blow in emergencies; if you have a whistle and hear another whistle being blown, blow your whistle, too.

At the UI, learn the locations of blue emergency phones in travels across campus and use them to call campus police in an emergency.

Call UI police at 333-1216 for a late-night Student Patrol campus escort.

Call MTD SafeRides, an assault prevention ride service, at 265-RIDE (265-7433) for a ride at night during the school year.

On the Parkland College campus, call the Public Safety Department at Ext. 2369 for escort service or any emergency; off campus, call 351-2369.

Protect your property

Avoid being intoxicated.

Keep doors and windows of homes and vehicles locked.

Never leave personal property, including book bags, portable stereos, computers, cell phones or compact discs unattended in a public place; for students leaving campus for holiday or break, take valuables with you.

When moving in and out of apartments, do not leave property unattended.

Go to places with a friend and take turns watching your property.

Mark your valuables and keep an accurate record of your most valuable possessions.

When living in an apartment building, do not let a stranger in the building.

Call police if someone acts suspiciously or out of place.

Keep the exterior of your house or apartment well-lighted; check and change bulbs in your security lights.

Keep trees and shrubs around your home trimmed.

Protect your identity

Guard your Social Security number; do not have it printed on your checks; question the need to provide it on routine forms.

Monitor your credit report regularly.

Monitor your Social Security activity; the Social Security Administration has records available once a year; additional earnings might be found because of some type of illegal activity.

Monitor credit card activity; check your statements for fraudulent charges before paying them.

Know whom you are talking to.

Never give your bank account number, Social Security number or credit card number over the phone unless you have initiated that call and trust that business.

Remove your name from marketing lists.

Be careful what you carry in your wallet; do not carry your Social Security card or other important identity documents except when needed.

Keep duplicate records; photocopy both sides of license and credit cards and phone numbers in case your wallet or purse is stolen.

Sources: Champaign, Urbana, University of Illinois and Parkland College police departments