The Official Identity Theft Prevention Handbook

Book excerpt: What is America’s top-rank crime concern? Identity theft. According to a 2009 Gallup Crime survey, 66 percent of U.S. adults say they worry “frequently” or “occasionally” about being a victim of identity theft. Why is the percentage of adults concerned with identity theft more than three times greater than the percentage concerned with “being sexually assaulted” or “getting murdered”? Similar to the identity theft crime itself, there is not a simple answer. Identity theft is a perfect storm: it affects many people, everyone is a potential target, there are substantial negative consequences, few truly understand the crime, and trusted sources disseminate information and products that can mislead, not help, the victim. It is comparable to driving your car without a door (and having no other options). You feel exposed, vulnerable and you know the consequences of a side impact are devastating; yet, you have no other option. The reality is you do have options to protect yourself, andThe Official Identity Theft Prevention Handbookis here to teach you them. The Official Identity Theft Prevention Handbookis the first book to analyze identity theft in its proper context and provide takeaways to minimize the likelihood that you will be harmed by identity theft and to mitigate the negative consequences in the event that you've become a victim. Identity theft continues to proliferate, and it is tearing the fabric of our society. All understand it is important, but compelling people to take appropriate action is a challenge.The Official Identity Theft Prevention Handbookprovides a tremendous first step towards individual and societal responsibility. We can swing the pendulum in the other direction. In the case of identity theft, the best defense is a good offense.