Be Smart! Stay Alert!

Because of my recent experience of nearly becoming a victim of identity theft , I am sharing the URL below so you guys would not have to be in the same boat as me. My problem started because a old schoolmate misused my personal info to apply for a credit card for himself. I hardly knew him but it is a shock that he would do this to a former schoolmate. I guess the school spirit was just not there for the guy. Anyway I also read somewhere that students and those beginning their first jobs usually dont hv credit cards so schemers use our personal data, manipulating it, to apply for credit cards. In the end, we will be the ones saddled with strangers' debts. Good thing I found out before it was too late!
When my dad was alive, we used to live a comfortable life, no worries bout school fees etc. I never needed public transport at that time. After he died however, a lot of people came up saying he owed thm this and tht and I lost a lot of money. That was when in early months after his death. Others, close to my dad came up saying I will help with the sale of dad's business , and u just concentrate on ur studies. I foolishly trusted everyone. I learnt afterwards when it comes to financial matters, I should never trust anyone and I should always be the only one handling my personal financial stuff or I will end up being scammed or losing money since I am the only one looking out for me since I am all alone. Even people who genuinely helped caused me problems like the during the sale of dad's business and in the end schemers caused me to not even get a cent from the business sale and I ended up losing even more money to thm frm dad's savings when they made up all sort of supposed expenses on their part because of the sale. I was such an idiot! If I only handled everything myself at that time, I would not have to be looking up and down for scholarships right now and my studies would not be in limbo. Those early days after dad's death however taught me to become extra careful and as one friend told me , never trust anyone but yourself. Or as another friend put it, "Never even trust your own mother".
Anyway here is the URL I promised

http://www.keybankcollegenotes.com/spring07/feature03.html

A last word, be nice to your old schoolmates. They grew up with you during your age of innocence. Never mean thm harm. At least, in this way, you preserve a small part of tht innocence tht many of you have forgotten and left behind.
I took this step by not handing over my scamming former schoolmate to the police.