The best tool against identity theft is education. The more you know about this crime, the more protected you are going to be. For this reason, you should be taking the time to read up on this crime. Below, you will find some links and summaries of excellent identity theft articles. These are going to provide you with an ID theft tutorial so you do not become a victim.

United States Department of Justice

US DOJ Articles
One of the most informative and brief explanations of some of the identity theft basics you need to know can be found in this series of short identity theft articles created by the United States Department of Justice. At the end of the article, you will find important details on how to respond if you do become a victim. This information is critical because nearly 80% of victims do not even know they should contact the credit bureaus and put a credit freeze on their accounts as their first step.

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Privacy Rights Articles
Another good source of information is the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. This site provides valuable information about your rights and the actions you need to take to prevent identity theft. Also, this particular link will take you to a series of stories from victims who have experienced some pretty scary incidents of identity theft. One woman, for example, returned to California to sell her home after being away for four years and found out that someone had started renting it out without her knowledge.

Deceased People and Identity Theft

Providence Journal Article
This story, which first appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer and is reprinted online at the Providence Journal, explains that after the death of their 23 year old relative, creditors began calling the family home because the deceased was racking up bills everywhere but not paying any of them. Like some of the identity theft articles above, this story drives home how horrible some of these cases can truly be.

The overall goal here is to protect you and help you stay away from personal ID theft. Our site has many resources available to aid you in whatever you may want to know in this area. These links are yet another great place to learn up about this horrific crime.