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!

Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission. It is a serious crime that can wreak havoc with your finances, credit history, and reputation – and it can take time, money, and patience to resolve. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, prepared this guide to help you repair the damage that identity theft can cause, and reduce the risk of identity theft happening to you.If you suspect that someone has stolen your identity, acting quickly is the best way to limit the damage. Setting things straight involves some work. This guide has tips, worksheets, blank forms, and sample letters to guide you through the recovery process. It covers:• what identity theft victims must do immediately• what problems may crop up• how you can reduce your risk of identity theft

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!

This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. Being aware of the criminals who are out to take your money is not enough. A scam by any other name is still a scam, and unfortunately, there are some scams that are perfectly legal that can cause you to lose money. Or perhaps they are imperfectly legal, but at this point in time, the law may not be on your side. A good example of a legal scam is what credit card companies can do legally in many instances. Read these essential truths to gain the knowledge that can protect your wallet.

The Canadian edition of The Little Black Book of Scams is a compact and easy to use reference guide filled with information Canadians can use to protect themselves against a variety of common scams. It debunks common myths about scams, provides contact information for reporting a scam to the correct authority, and offers a step-by-step guide for scam victims to reduce their losses and avoid becoming repeat victims. Consumers and businesses can consult The Little Black Book of Scams to avoid falling victim to social media and mobile phone scams, fake charities and lotteries, dating and romance scams, and many other schemes used to defraud Canadians of their money and personal information.

It could happen when you make a routine withdrawal from an ATM, respond to an e-mail asking for information about an online account, or leave a new box of checks unattended in your mailbox. Identity theft is one of the easiest crimes to commit in America—and one of the hardest to prosecute. As thieves become increasingly clever, Americans have more reasons than ever to fear this elusive, ubiquitous crime. Now there’s a book to help you beat it. In two easy-to-understand sections, Terri Cullen, The Wall Street Journal’s expert on identity theft, first walks you through the most common types of identity theft and how to arm yourself against them, and then leads victims step-by-step through the process of reclaiming a stolen identity. The average victim loses more than $6,000 and spends approximately 600 hours negotiating the complex bureaucracies and paperwork—this book will help save time and effort by laying out the process. And by following the advice in the first half, you may never need the second! You’ll learn: • how to avoid the most common scams, from “phishing” to “dumpster diving” • why children under eighteen are the fastest-growing target, and how you can protect your family • why your credit report is the single most important document for protecting your identity • how to use the sample letters, forms, and other useful tools inside for recovering from identity theft In today’s marketplace, your two most valuable assets are your credit and your identity. No one should be without this vital guide to protecting them.

"Proactively organizes, simplifies, and demystifies the entire issue of identity theft and computer fraud into bite size chunks to make you, your family, employees and small business safe and secure. Learn the difference between scareware, ransomware and spyware. Understand what is a black hat, cracker, script-kiddie and hacktivist. Know how to protect your identity online and in the physical world." --Page [4] cover.

This book defines identity theft, studies how it is perpetrated, outlines what is being done to combat it, and recommends specific ways to address it in a global manner.

A mesmerizing tale that exposes the steep price paid by consumers when mortgage servicing errors, inaccurate credit and illegal debt collection practices invade an innocent woman's life for 15 years.