The computers in our homes and businesses have made it very easy to share information.  We send notes to one another.  We join virtual groups where we chat about ourselves and our hobbies.  We shop online.  We manage our bank accounts. We even pay our taxes.  When someone uses your personal information without your permission to conduct illegal activity, it is known as identity theft and though you can be a victim of identity theft even if you don’t use computers much, the fact that many of us use online resources regularly means we are all more vulnerable to this type of crime.

To prevent online identity theft you need to understand how criminals use online resources to steal personal information.  Bogus e-mail messages are often used to trick you into disclosing personal information.  Through methods like “phishing”—where you receive an e-mail message that appears to come from a trusted source like your bank or your credit card company—online criminals pretend to be someone they are not, hoping you’ll respond with sensitive information like your Social Security number or your bank account numbers.  Bogus web sites can also be set up nefariously to fool you into revealing information about yourself that can then be used to create fraudulent credit accounts or make unapproved purchases.  Theft of portable devices like cell phones, laptops and Blackberries is another method thieves use to gather information about you.  Accidental or careless release of company data has also exposed many people to potential identity theft.

The Washington State Attorney General’s identity theft Web site is an excellent place to begin if you would like to educate yourself about the issue and learn how to protect your privacy.  The URL is:  http://www.atg.wa.gov/ConsumerIssues/ID-Privacy/IdentityTheft.aspx   In addition to a good explanation of identity theft in general, it describes the steps you should follow if you believe you are a victim of identity theft and includes links to resources that can help you clear your name and your credit.  It discusses such topics as how to monitor your credit rating through the nation’s leading credit bureaus and how to issue a fraud alert to them if you believe someone is using your identity to make illegal purchases.  It has links to information for employers who are concerned about protecting the information they have about their employees and their customers.

The Federal Trade Commission sponsors another excellent resource through its identity theft web site at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft    This site includes a wealth of information about the crime itself including national and state statistical data and resources you as an individual or as an employer can use in your own community to increase awareness and fight theft attempts.  There are separate links for consumers and businesses so you can focus your research based on whether you are trying to protect your own information or the information your business handles.  You can view information about the President’s Taskforce on Identity Theft, watch video testimonials from identity theft victims and even take an online identity theft awareness quiz.  In the Use Our Resources section, the FTC describes its own Avoid Theft: Deter, Detect, Defend program.  Deter, Detect, Defend was created by the FTC to increase national awareness and provide guidance to public and private sector groups who want to combat the problem.

The Privacy Rights Commission, a private non-profit organization based in San Diego, has extensive identity theft resources on their web site at  http://www.privacyrights.org/identity.htm    The site includes a range of identity theft awareness quizzes, including a quiz specifically about phishing issues, testimonials from victims, links to a variety of private and public studies and a broad range of web links to other organizations which track identity theft issues.

Finally, the annotated bibliography provided by LLRX.com at http://www.llrx.com/features/idtheft.htm  is an excellent gateway for further identity theft research.  It includes links to critical federal and state legislation, to identity theft web sites sponsored by a broad range of agencies, and to related studies and reports.