Identity Theft Alert: 10 Rules You Must Follow to Protect Yourself from America's #1 Crime

Description

Protect yourself from identity theft!  Nearly 17 million Americans were victimized by identity theft in 2012 alone: for 13 straight years, it has been America's #1 consumer crime. No one is immune: children, the elderly and even the dead have been victimized. Identity theft can be high-tech, low-tech, or even no tech, via "dumpster diving." You're vulnerable, and you need to act.

Fortunately, you can take practical steps to safeguard your identity right now. In Identity Theft Alert, award-winning author and attorney Steve Weisman shows you exactly what  to do, and how to do it. Equally important, he also tells you what to stop doing: the common, inadvertent behaviors that could be setting you up as a victim.

Weisman starts with a clear-eyed assessment of the problem, helping you understand just how much risk you face. Next, he helps you understand, anticipate, and prevent all these frightening forms of identity theft:

• Identity theft via Facebook and other social media
• Identity theft via your iPhone or Android smartphone
• Theft of your credit or debit cards, and other access to your finances
• Crime sprees performed in your name
• Medical identity theft that could lead to you getting the wrong treatment – and could even kill you
• The fast-growing scourge of income tax identity theft, including stolen refunds

Don't be the next victim: read this book, follow its step-by-step advice, and protect yourself!

Downloads

Downloads

Technology, Business, and Government Fight Identity Theft

Financial Privacy Please: The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

Credit Reports

Congress Deals with Credit Reports and Identity Theft: The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act

Identity Theft Insurance--Worth the Price? 

Identity Theft and the Elderly 

Form Letters

Sample Content

Table of Contents

Introduction     xvi
Chapter 1: Identity Theft     1
Chapter 2: Making Yourself Less Vulnerable to Identity Theft     23
Chapter 3: Danger on Your Computer and What to Do If You Are a Victim of Identity Theft     39
Chapter 4: Your Social Security Number--An Identity Thief’s Lucky Number     55
Chapter 5: Criminal Identity Theft, Taxes--And More Arresting Problems     65
Chapter 6: Protecting Your Privacy--A Key to Preventing Identity Theft     81
Chapter 7: Security Software     87
Chapter 8: The Dangers of Data Breaches     91
Chapter 9: Identity Theft After Death     105
Chapter 10: Identity Theft from Children     109
Chapter 11: Identity Theft Risks of Smartphones and Other Mobile Devices     115
Chapter 12: Identity Theft Threats with Credit Cards and Debit Cards     129
Chapter 13: Medical Identity Theft     139
Chapter 14: Identity Theft and Social Media     145
Chapter 15: Steve’s Rules     155
Chapter 16: Steve’s Top Ten Lists     161
Index     165

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