Someone's identity is stolen every four seconds -- don't be a victim!

Over 8 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. Most don't find out until it's too late, only realizing their predicament once their bank accounts have been emptied or their credit rating has been destroyed. And you don't even have to be an adult to be at risk -- over half a million children are the victims of identity theft each year.

Protect yourself and your children against America's fastest-growing crime with Stopping Identity Theft, written by identity protection expert and TrustedID CEO Scott Mitic. You'll get ten simple, action-oriented protection plans for limiting the vulnerability of your personal information in any risky situation.

Get the facts from a leader in identity theft protection, including:

• why shopping in stores can be riskier than shopping online
• how to spot scammers in any situation -- online or on the phone
• how to build a social networking profile without being the victim of fake "friends"
• what new techniques thieves are using to scam you, like phishing, pharming and skimming
• why old-fashioned checks can be the riskiest way to pay for something, and
• how to protect your identity while you travel.

Learn how to secure your bank accounts, keep personal and public records safe, store and dispose of personal information, limit your risk of medical identity theft, and keep your children and elders' identities secure. In ten easy steps, you can reduce your chances of identity theft now -- and should you ever become a victim, you'll have all the information you need to stop the thieves and rebuild your good name.

Your Companion in Identify Theft Protection

1. Identity Theft – What’s the Problem?

• Who Commits Identity Theft?
• How Thieves Get Your Personal Information
• Which Bits of Personal Data Thieves Like Best
• When Will You Find Out?
• Worst Case Scenarios – Could They Happen to You?
• You Can Protect Yourself – Here’s How

2. Know Thy Credit Report

• Your Credit Report: What It Is and Why It Matters
• Ordering Your Credit Report
• Reading Your Credit Report
• Correcting Errors on Your Credit Report
• Letting a Credit-Monitoring Service Check on Your Report
• Putting a Freeze on Future Identity Theft

3. Keep Prying Eyes Off Your Financial Accounts

• Paying With Plastic: Risks and Protective Measures
• Your Financial Consequences After Credit or Debit Card Fraud
• Before You’re a Victim: Switch From Debit to Credit Cards
• Risks When Paying With Checks
• Your Financial Consequences After Check Fraud
• Protecting Your Account From Check Fraud
• Brokerage Accounts: Risks and Protective Measures

4. Secure Your Online Presence

• Meet the Virtual Identity Thief
• Email Risks
• Web-Surfing Risks
• Instant Messaging (IM) Risks
• Social Networking Risks
• Protecting Yourself With Smart Online Behavior
• Arming Your Computer for the Online Battle

5. Spot ID Theft Scams Before They Spot You

• Foreign Money Offer Scams
• Fake Survey Scams, or “Pretexting”
• Vishing Scams
• Expired Car Warranty Scams
• Tax Scams
• Lottery and Contest Scams
• Blowing the Whistle on Scammers

6. Be a Savvy Shopper

• How You’re Already Protected When Shopping Online
• Remaining Risks When Shopping Online
• Protecting Yourself When Shopping Online
• Risks When Shopping in Stores
• Protecting Yourself When Shopping in Stores

7. Take Control of Your Data

• Behind the Scenes: How Your Data Gets Collected
• Who They Sell Your Data To
• Can Someone Really Buy Your Social Security Number?
• Will Data Protections Improve Anytime Soon?
• Are You Giving Out More Data Than You Need To?
• Taking Control of Your Data
• Defending Yourself Against Data Breaches

8. Clamp Down on Thefts of Your Health Coverage

• Theft of Your Access to Medical Care
• Theft of Your Coverage Dollars
• How Electronic Record Keeping Makes You Vulnerable
• Preventing Medical Identity Theft
• Spotting and Curing Medical Identity Theft

9. Watch Your Family’s Back

• Too Young for a Plummeting Credit Score: Kids and
• Identity Theft
• Making Dangerous Connections: Kids and the Internet
• How to Defend Your Kids
• College Bound: A Time for Added Caution
• Venerable Yet Vulnerable: Seniors and Identity Theft
• How to Protect Your Elderly Family Members
• Whether to Buy Identity Theft Insurance
• Guarding Ownership of Your Home

10. Have a Safe Trip

• Booking Your Trip: Don’t Get Caught in a Scam
• Securing Your Home
• Packing Smart
• Your Vacation – A Holiday for Thieves?
• Protecting Yourself While You Travel
• If You’re Victimized on Vacation

11. React Quickly If Your Identity Is Stolen

• Damage Control: Essential First Steps
• Additional Steps If the Thief Accesses Your Financial Accounts
• Additional Steps If You’re a Victim of Check Fraud
• Additional Steps If You’re “Wanted” by the Police
• Additional Steps If Your Medical Records Have Been Affected
• Don’t Want the Hassle? Enlisting the Pros
• It Wasn’t Me! Warding Off the Debt Collectors

12. Stay Ahead of the Curve

• Testing Your Identity Theft Savvy
• Keeping Up With the Latest Tricks and Trends
• How Paranoid Should You Be?
• Identity Theft Resources

Index

Here are summaries of important legal or procedural changes that affect the latest edition of this product.