[Editors note:  This week, in my hometown of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, a laptop containing the Social Security numbers of 1,300 past and present school employees was stolen.  Below is the beginning of a column I wrote for my local paper about the event and what steps the school district and employees should consider.]

Because of the theft of a laptop containing the Social Security numbers of 1,300 past and present Steamboat Springs School District employees this week, I’m changing hats from columnist to identity theft consultant.

As readers may recall, when not sharing my opinions on issues impacting the Yampa Valley, I work as an information security consultant and editor of an identity theft Web site. Under that fedora, I’ll offer the same advice I provide individuals, corporations and governments across the country when they experience breaches of sensitive information similar to what happened to the school district.

Although it is unlikely the stolen laptop will result in financial fraud, the school district and employees should respond with an eye toward the worst-case scenario. And, even if you aren’t a school employee, you may want to read on. Statistically, each of us has our personal or financial information stolen each year – there are more than 300 million records exposed per year in reported data breaches. For that reason, we all should know how to guard against identity theft.

Social Security numbers are the keys to the kingdom of financial fraud. There are more than 15 million victims of identity theft in the U.S. every year, resulting in more than $50 billion in financial harm. Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America, and it shows no sign of abating.

In light of the stolen Social Security numbers, the school district and jeopardized employees should consider the following:

See the full column at The Steamboat Pilot & Today.