A UTM student has been arrested on identity theft charges after another student said her credit card information was compromised in the purchase of three digital music players.

Joseph Baker, 18, a freshman business major from Middleton, Tenn., was arrested Friday morning at his University Village apartment after the other UTM student complained to Department of Public Safety officials that someone had made $1,146 in illegal purchases from the Internet using her credit card.

The victim told Public Safety Lt. Ray Coleman on Thursday that someone ordered three iPod music players using her credit card on Feb. 10. According to the Public Safety report, she received an e-mail shortly after the illegal purchases and notified her credit card company and Apple Computer Inc. of the fraudulent purchases. Apple is the manufacturer of the iPod, a personal electronic device that digitally stores music files and videos. The credit card company canceled the order, and Apple did not ship the three music players, valued at $382 each.

The victim also told officers that Baker, whom she does not know, sent her an e-mail and admitted to making the purchases. In the e-mail, Baker told the victim that he got her personal information from Facebook, an online community for college students, the report says.

Facebook is a free service that allows students with college e-mail addresses to give out their names, addresses, birth dates, phone numbers and other personal information to other subscribers. Public Safety officers met with Baker Friday morning and said he admitted to placing the orders on the victim’s credit card account. Baker then told officers that he found her birth date on Facebook and used it to change her password to Apple Computer’s iTunes, the company’s online music store. Baker then used the password to purchase the iPods, the report indicates. Baker told officers he did not think the order would go through, but when it did, he said he tried to cancel it.

Baker was charged with identity theft, which is felony fraudulent impersonation, and Public Safety transported Baker to the Weakley County Sheriff’s Office for detention. He was later released on bail.

Baker apparently has been arraigned in Weakley County General Sessions Court, but the arraignment’s outcome was not available because of the Presidents’ Day holiday.

In Fall 2004, Public Safety released a series of suggestions for students to stave off identity theft. The same semester, student ID numbers were reformatted, ending the practice of using Social Security numbers for official identification.

Also in 2004, the Chancellor’s Staff approved a policy to help reduce identity theft and academic dishonesty. Part of the policy includes regulations on using cellular phones with cameras.

The Public Safety flier distributed to first-time freshmen during Freshmen Welcome Week now also include hints for combating identity theft.

The Martin Police Department released a public service announcement Wednesday concerning several telephone and e-mail scams directed at local residents.

“Citizens need to be aware that no legitimate organization, either governmental or business, will request this type of information (by phone or e-mail),” Chief of Police David Moore said.

Martin Police Department Capt. Scott Robbins said the department has fielded 20 complaints of identity theft in the past year.