The Online Identity Theft Prevention Kit: Stop Scammers, Hackers, and Identity Thieves from Ruining Your Life
Statistics about identity theft from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are staggering. In 2004 (the last year available), the number of identity theft victims was close to 10 million. Individual Americans lost more than $5 billion dollars, and businesses lost an unbelievable $47.6 billion dollars. The FTC now says that as many as one in every eight adults and one in every four households has been victimized by identity thieves in the past five years. To make matters even worse, if you end up a victim of identity theft, it can take years to clean up the mess.
The FTC defines identity theft as stealing personal information such as your name, credit card number, driver’s license number, or other personal identifying information to commit fraud. The most common identity thefts occur when thieves use your name to apply for services, for credit cards or loans, to buy merchandise or lease equipment such as cars or apartments, and obtain medical care. They can assume your complete identity and live and work under your name, and even commit serious crimes.
A primary goal of hackers and online crooks is to find, uncover, and abuse your personal information, anything that clearly identifies you, such as your name, address, social security number, birth date, family members’ names or friends’ names. Used in combination with other private information, like a bank or credit card account number, your stolen information can be used by an identity thief to open a new credit line, access your bank accounts or even apply for official documents like a driver’s license or passport.
The results for you can be devastating, reaching into every transaction you attempt until you clear your name and credit. Due to bad credit reports, victims of identity theft are often rejected for loan applications, credit of any kind, job opportunities, and housing. Your credit can be ruined overnight. You can even be arrested for crimes you didn’t commit. To avoid being a victim of identity theft, your first rule is to get the knowledge you need to protect yourself before it happens.
The good news is that the chances of online identity theft can be greatly reduced and mostly eliminated by taking the simple, free suggestions as outlined in this new up-to-the-minute book. You will find valuable expertise to evaluate and determine your, your family’s, and your business’s risks. After evaluating the risks, you are provided a detailed plan so that you can take action for prevention now.
We have also outlined a step-by-step program detailing what you can do if you think, or know, that your identity has been stolen. In addition, there are numerous forms and letters that can be used as a template to contact credit agencies, government agencies, credit card companies, banks, and anyone else involved.
Please visit our web site http://www.atlantic-pub.com/ .
“The Online Identity Theft Prevention Kit” sells you on its self importance from the start; by telling you that by buying this book you have taken the first step in scaring off would be identity thieves. The author lets you know, hammers it home in fact, that knowledge is power and predators like easy naïve victims
Some of the knowledge contained in this book was new to me, even as a self professed worry wart. I learned that identity theft does not bread the same criminals you are used to; you know the ones who run through back alleys stealing old ladies purses for drug money. Identity thieves could be anyone from your family members, employees, bosses, and even the waiter with whom you left your credit card after dinner. And it is not just about keeping yourself safe, you also have to worry about your children, the group the author tells us is the most highly preyed on by attackers. After being bombarded with the sobering facts, you are practically begging this book to tell you how to keep safe. The book provides ample tips and techniques to protect every aspect of your life, as it is not just about stealing money, but also your name and reputation. The suggested techniques range from the obvious, don’t leave your laptop available to thieves in a public place, to more complex tips on beating spyware and automated password stealing programs.
Thankfully, this book is not all doom and gloom. In an unexpected change of pace, the book’s last portion about how to live anonymously, and I mean completely anonymous, reads almost like a spy primer. While most people who read this book probably don’t want to throw away their phone or assume a false identity to avoid thieves, this section does provide interesting and light reading on the subject. Although you may not want to live like a spy, it gives you practical and legal advice on adopting pseudonymous and false identities. Even if you do not adopt the most extreme techniques this book offers, you can at least walk away with some general knowledge about who is out in cyberspace, what they want from you, and how to stop them from getting it.
Comment by David Whitney — March 10, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
Although this book starts out using rather simple language (which makes it appear to be aimed at people who have an insultingly simplistic understanding of the internet, if any at all), contains several spelling errors, and has many long overly drawn out “quiz your knowledge” scenarios, it’s worth sticking through.
Before you close it in disgust, I urge you to read on. The information is relative, well-researched, and compiled in an easy-to-follow manner. Initially, I viewed this book with skepticism. Being a child of the internet age, I was offended that the author believed they needed to explain what e-mail spam was. However, I was surprised by the thoroughness of the data in this text. For instance, I didn’t fully understand phishing, but the author presented it in an easy-to-digest manner, along with helpful examples.
But it’s not just a handy identification of terms that makes this book worth reading. The material contained within includes: examples of types of identity theft, how your identity is used, historical examples of corporate identity theft that have occurred within the past twenty years, and a guide detailing how to read and understand your credit report. This guide also addresses how to handle a situation when a family member steals your identity. I found this particularly helpful, as that is an issue not often addressed in this day and age- which is scary, considering how often it happens. The underlying theme of this guide is to be educated, and not panic, when it comes to identity theft. Several easy, helpful tips on protecting yourself are included, and there are more internet and government resources listed here than you can shake a stick at.
In total, this book is well-organized and detailed. In the age of internet fraud, this helpful guide will assist you in protecting yourself from identity theft, as well as giving you hope and guidance if you have been a victim of identity theft.
Comment by Beth — March 10, 2008 @ 8:45 pm
With more individuals and families gaining high-speed access to the internet, and with more and more ordinary activities being conducted online, the risk of identity theft is obviously greater than ever. A casual search through your own e-mail spam folder gives only the slightest indication of the number of people seeking to rip you off. On a much larger scale the economic costs of identity theft is extraordinary — nearly a billion dollars lost in 2005 alone. Though much of the problem results from perpetrators seeking quick financial rewards, this book considers the other social costs of identity theft, including medical fraud (e.g., using others’ identities to secure prescription drugs), immigration fraud, and — most ominously — terrorism.
This useful book discusses the various ways that identity theft can occur, who engages in it, and what the risks are to ordinary consumers and businesses. The authors have compiled lots of fascinating case studies that emphasize just how quickly identity theft can take place and how dramatic the consequences can be. This guide is incredibly thorough and endlessly practical, with the overall theme being that one can never be too cautious in surfing the internet, using credit cards, and disposing of any records (paper or electronic) that contain information that might be useful to someone with devious intentions. The authors offer advice that may seem to be common sense — being smart with passwords; using anti-viral and encryption software; being cautious with online purchases, and shredding sensitive documents — but most readers will be surprised at what they don’t do to prevent their identities from being stolen.
This is a useful guide that’s both informative and (darkly) entertaining. It’s worth having around, and would be especially useful for parents who want their kids to be savvy as they move toward adulthood.
Comment by dave noon — March 12, 2008 @ 10:10 am
i Spy
I’ll never forget the sinking feeling I had in my gut when the bank teller informed me that I had a negative balance due to a $1,500 that I had written the week before. The thing was, I didn’t write a $1,500 check! When the lady in the other office showed me a picture of the cleared check I couldn’t believe my eyes. The payee was unknown to me and the check itself looked nothing like my checks. I had been taken.
“The Online Identity Theft Prevention Kit” tells us that I wasn’t the only one. In it I learned that over three billion dollars were lost in 2007 to credit card fraud alone and online scams in 2005 cost consumers $929 million in 2005! No matter how staggering the numbers are, I know from experience that they’re real. This book has helped me understand how I can protect myself from all the different traps out there.
I was amazed at all the information here. The kit includes detailed information on all kinds of online and offline scams and tricks. I thought I was in detective school. It’s all in here, credit card swipes, skimming, hacking, phishing, IP spoofing, fake charities, dumpster divers, spyware and more! There are plenty of actual cases, too—Fidelity National Information, TJ Maxx and even Ralph Lauren, Corp.
The best thing, though, is that this book teaches you how to protect yourself. There are tips on how to create a secure id and password for online use, how to read a credit report and even a chapter on how to live anonymously, that is, below the thieves’ radar. After reading this I feel I know how to protect myself and my family from the big business of identity theft.
Comment by kostas terss — March 12, 2008 @ 1:27 pm
WOW! A completely in-depth and user-friendly guide to
protecting yourself from identity theft in its multiple forms. Loaded
with statistics, facts, research, and examples, this book provides a
comprehensive look at this growing crime and the factors behind it.
I really enjoyed how information was presented. More than one side of
the situation was addressed - motives behind the crime, and information
about crime addiction were included. Knowing that information can only
serve to help the readers protect themselves further as the stats from
the book indicate that people close to the victim like family and
friends commit approximately 40% of identity theft.
I loved the information about children and the deceased also being
targets of identity theft. I think sometimes the crime is viewed as
something that only affects those who do business online or are seniors.
Very helpful book with great tips that can be implemented immediately.
Truly a ‘must-read’ for everyone.
Comment by Daniella Nicole — March 25, 2008 @ 8:53 am
Identity theft is a topic I always heard about on the news, but I never understood how it actually happened until I read The Online Identity Theft Prevention Kit. The book does a great job detailing all of the ways people try to steal pieces – or all – of your identity. The author writes in plain English, so you don’t have to be a computer expert to learn these important lessons.
The book makes the point that almost anyone in our lives could be trying to steal our identities, even friends and family members. Without veering into paranoia, the book trains the reader on how to safeguard every piece of vital information. I learned a lot from this book. For example, I didn’t know computer hackers could use a “dictionary attack” to steal virtually any one-word password.
I also learned how Nigerian and pharmaceutical e-mail scams work. Not that I would fall for those schemes, but I learned what those spammers are looking for: access to personal and financial information that they can use to drain someone’s bank account. The book loses focus a bit in Chapter 2 when its talks about how online thieves become addicted to the rush committing a crime, but I will keep The Online Identity Theft and Prevention Kit as a reference tool to make sure I am vigilant in guarding my information.
Comment by Gorman — March 29, 2008 @ 8:48 am
There are two types of people when it comes to identity theft – the hard targets and the easy marks. The more informed people are about how identify theft works, the better they can protect themselves.
Learning to protect yourself is what the new book, The Online Identity Theft Prevention Kit is all about. Filled with fascinating case histories of identities stolen, it can help consumers recognize a scam and protect their identity. It even can help in the aftermath of an identity theft, including ways to gain back your good name.
Why be concerned about identity theft? If you think you can’t be a target, you are wrong. Even children and senior citizens are on the thieves’ radar. If you use a computer, a credit card or write checks, if you have a bank account, a social security number, a passport, a driver’s license or a birthday, thieves can steal your identity.
If your identity is stolen, your bank accounts can be drained, credit cards can be opened in your name and you can end up paying for loans that you never knew you had. Someone pretending to be you can get medical treatment and you are stuck with the bill – or even end up with misinformation on your medical chart that could result in dangerous medical mistakes. A criminal can use your social security number to create a new identity for himself and if he’s arrested, you could be mistaken for an offender and end up in jail until the matter could be cleared up.
Much of what this book contains are case studies of how and why the crooks operate so readers can better identify scams and avoid them. There are a nearly 100 detailed suggestions about what to do to keep your identity safe as well as true-to-life cautionary tales. There’s even a chapter on how to live below-the-radar – the best way, the author claims, to keep safe (although it would not the choice of everyone.) There are even sample letters for disputing claims by collection agencies, credit card companies and credit bureaus.
While some of the best information is the list of organizations and business to help consumers stop identity theft, it is the stories that are the most interesting. You may even recognize some of your friends in them. This is a book to buy before your identity is stolen, but if that’s already happened, it can help you get your life back as well.
Comment by Stephanie Fox — April 14, 2008 @ 12:54 pm