Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America. Based on credit bureau and FBI statistics, an estimated 11.1 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2009 and 8.1 million were victims in 2010. Identity thieves often, target children and teens, and they are becoming more resourceful everyday.' From stolen credit card information to hijacked e-mail accounts, from misappropriated personal information to impersonation of others online, the range of identity theft crimes is wide and growing-and most victims never learn how the identity thieves accessed their personal information in the first place. Identity Theft explains the different types of identity theft crimes and how they are committed and provides valuable advice on how to protect personal information and stay safe online.
Today the Internet and the World Wide Web are essential parts of everyone's education, work, and social life, but despite all the benefits they bring, they come with many dangers. Teens, who are often the leading users of cutting-edge technology, are especially vulnerable to these risks. Yet, many are often unaware of the predators and perils awaiting them online. The Cybersafety series is intended to help readers better understand the nature of the online world, analyze information found there, and become informed about online pitfalls and dangerous behaviors. Staying safe in a fast-paced, technology-driven world is more difficult than ever, but the Cybersafety series gives readers the information they need to protect themselves.
Foreword 7
Acknowledgments 11
Introduction: An Overview of Identity Theft 13
1 Identity Theft Defined 23
2 Types and Methods of Identity Theft 35
3 Minimizing Risk 46
4 Detecting. Reporting, and Recovering from Identity Theft 55
5 Identity Theft on the Internet 66
6 Protecting Identity Information 78
7 Future Solutions and Technologies 94
8 Summaries, Conclusions, and Recommendations 111
Endnotes 117
Further Resources 124
Index 127
About the Authors 133
About the Consulting Editor 135
karinell
Posted May 5, 2012
Written for teens, Identity Theft covers what it is and how to avoid it, or how to recover from any damage done by identity theft. As the fastest growing crime in the US, this book discusses the various types of identity theft (I've been a victim of credit card theft) and for each type, shows how you can minimize your risk or shows you what you can do if you have been a victim. Each chapter opens with a modern-day story of identity theft which will hold a teen's interest. The book also discusses the growing trend of children being the victims of identity theft due to their clean credit histories. In addition there is a very interesting chapter on the future trends and technologies that will help fight identity theft, including biometrics, digital signatures, encryption and ecommerce security.
I know that this book will make teens more aware of the risks of identity theft and how to protect themselves since their lives are so immersed in technology today. Parents and teachers would also benefit from reading this book, which could also be used in the classroom.
Highly recommended!
Overview
Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America. Based on credit bureau and FBI statistics, an estimated 11.1 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2009 and 8.1 million were victims in 2010. Identity thieves often, target children and teens, and they are becoming more resourceful everyday.' From stolen credit card information to hijacked e-mail accounts, from misappropriated personal information to impersonation of others online, the range of identity theft crimes is wide and growing-and most...