Despite the recent arrest of three VSU students, it seems as though many students find themselves unconcerned with the rules associated with having a 1 Card.
 The 1 Card is issued to every VSU student and is intended for the use of the cardholder only.  Whether it is swiping your card for your meal plan or using your Blazer Bucks at the University Center, the only person who should be in possession of your card is you, according to VSU officals.
 Using another VSU student’s card is like using someone else’s credit card; therefore, the punishments are just as severe.  The punishment for financial transaction card theft is a fine no more than $1,000 and at least one but no more than two years in prison. The punishment for financial transaction card fraud is a fine no more than $5,000 and at least one but no more than three years in prison.  Each additional swiping of the card adds an additional felony to the charge.
 Once a 1 Card has been reported stolen to the VSU Police, an investigation is launched.
 “The theft of a 1 Card is a criminal offense and we investigate it like any other crime,” said Sergeant Carolyn Glock. “Because of technology we know of every thing and every place [for which a] 1 Card is used and the report reads like a bank statement.”
 The security on a 1 Card is not airtight: until deactivated, a stolen 1 Card can still be used in vending machines and in washers and dryers without supervision.  However, that is not the case for Hopper Dining or any of VSU’s eating establishments.
 According to the procedures of the 1 Card office, a card that is found in the possession of someone other than the cardholder will be confiscated and returned to the 1 Card office.  The policy also states that the card will be destroyed and the cardholder will be charged a $15 replacement fee.
 “The cards can take up to a week to get back to the 1 Card office after being confiscated,” says Brittany Jones, supervisor at Hopper Dining Center.
 However, not all students are so fortunate to be let go after the card has been confiscated, according to Jenna Gilbert    Maroney, the marketing director for VSU’s dinning services, The “stolen” card is to be confiscated and the VSUPD immediately notified.  The card is then handed over to the police and the cardholder cannot retrieve the card, no matter what the situation entailed.
 Whether the card was lent to a friend or found by another student, the use of the card by someone other than the name on the card also has consequences for the cardholder.
 So to avoid criminal charges, paying an undesired replacement fee, or having your 1 Card account emptied, here are a few rules to follow: