Praise for
The Truth About Identity Theft
“In an age when identity theft will affect everyone sooner or later, this book is simply a must-read. Jim Stickley teaches you to spot the danger signs and offers smart solutions for everything from banking security and online shopping scams to medical identity theft. Whether it’s you, your parents’, or your kids’ identities, everyone has something to protect. This book tells you what you need to know.”
“Nowadays, identity theft is an all-too-common occurrence that puts more than just your finances in jeopardy. Fortunately, Jim Stickley’s easy-to-understand advice can teach you how to spot and stay ahead of security threats. In short, this book is a must read.”
“Jim Stickley shares his amazing experiences as a professional hacker in the most entertaining manner. He’s a great storyteller and captures your attention with his experiences, which will make you want to upscale your efforts to protect your firm’s data and your own ID. Jim’s stories are fascinating. Most of us can’t imagine how simple it is for him to succeed as a conman in situations we think are safe. The trade secrets of hackers he shares with us are mind boggling! You won’t let your guard down after learning what Jim has actually done to get companies and individuals’ private information. He’s the updated version of ‘To Catch a Thief’…but he’s a good guy!”
“While Jim Stickley uses provocative means to garner his knowledge, much of his advice is indispensable. Anyone who has gone through the long, costly process of identity theft will tell you that taking some of these simple steps can help avoid a major headache down the road.”
“As someone whose job involves stealing confidential information, Jim Stickley knows how easy it is for ID thieves to pilfer sensitive data. This must-read book offers insider tips for business owners and consumers seeking to protect themselves.”
“If you’re not worried about identity theft, you should be…and Stickley tells you exactly why. His engaging writing style, coupled with real-life stories about identity theft and concrete actions to help you prevent identity theft, are exactly what’s needed to make people take notice of this growing crime. I’ll recommend this book again and again!”
“The Truth About Identity Theft makes me want to take myself off the grid and live in a log cabin somewhere. Like most people, I thought I was fairly vigilant in protecting my identity, but I’ve learned a hundred new ways in which I am vulnerable to identity theft. While we have to live with it, Jim explains that we don’t have to give in to it.”
“What Jim Stickley knows about identity theft and how the bad guys can latch onto your digital information is essential. The Truth About Identity Theft is filled with an insider’s mastery of this worsening problem. It provides a treasure chest of very useful information that will keep your identity out of harm’s way. This book is absolutely required reading for anyone who has ever used a personal or public computer. What you don’t know about identity theft can put you in the poorhouse.”
“Jim Stickley has years of experience probing the defenses of Fortune 500 companies. His expertise will help you create your own defenses against would-be identity thieves and scam artists.”
“Jim Stickley’s book will not only surprise you in showing how simple it is for thieves to commit identity theft, but will also teach you to think about protecting yourself on a whole new level.
Are you afraid of identity theft yet? You should be. Jim Stickley shows you not only how easy it is to get your information, but how disastrous it is when that information gets used by thieves.
Identity theft is not something YOU have to worry about, right? WRONG. Jim Stickley shows you the sad truths about how easily your identity can be stolen, and his book gives you the mindset you will need in order to protect yourself.
Be glad Jim Stickley is a good guy and not an identity thief, because if he were, none of us would be safe. Unfortunately, there are many thieves just as smart as Jim. However, by reading his book, you can finally figure out how to protect yourself against this heinous crime.”
The Truth About
Identity Theft
© 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Publishing as FT Press
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
FT Press offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For more information, please contact U.S. Corporate and Government Sales, 1-800-382-3419, http://[email protected]. For sales outside the U.S., please contact International Sales at http://[email protected].
Company and product names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing August 2008
ISBN-10: 0-7897-3793-0
ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-3793-9
Pearson Education LTD.
Pearson Education Australia PTY, Limited.
Pearson Education Singapore, Pte. Ltd.
Pearson Education North Asia, Ltd.
Pearson Education Canada, Ltd.
Pearson Educatión de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
Pearson Education—Japan
Pearson Education Malaysia, Pte. Ltd.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file.
Publisher
Paul Boger
Associate Publisher
Greg Wiegand
Acquisitions Editor
Rick Kughen
Development Editor
Rick Kughen
Technical Reviewer
“Wild Bill” Stanton
Marketing Coordinator
Judi Taylor
Cover and Interior Designs
Stuart Jackman,
Dorling Kindersley
Managing Editor
Kristy Hart
Senior Project Editor
Lori Lyons
Copy Editor
Karen A. Gill
Design Manager
Sandra Schroeder
Compositor
Gloria Schurick
Proofreader
San Dee Phillips
Manufacturing Buyer
Dan Uhrig
Dedicated to the entire crew of TraceSecurity,
whose talents never cease to amaze me.
Contents
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