It’s nerve racking to realize that the IRS increasingly struggles to control taxpayer identity theft. Since 2008, the IRS has identified 470,000 incidents of identity theft affecting more than 390,000 taxpayers. “Victims of tax-related identity theft are the casualties of a system ill-equipped to deal with the growing proficiency and sophistication of today’s tax scam artists” said  Sen. Bill Nelson, who chairs the newly formed Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth.

Identity theft harms innocent taxpayers through (1) employment and (2) refund fraud, according to the GAO. In refund fraud, an identity thief uses a taxpayer’s name and Social Security number to file for a tax refund, which the IRS discovers after the legitimate taxpayer files. In the meantime, the victim is out the money due her, causing Sharon Hawa of the Bronx, N.Y. to take on a second job. Ms. Hawa testified before the Subcommittee, describing how she had become an ID theft victim for the second time in three years (the first in 2009) after thieves twice filed tax returns in her name and received her tax refunds. Painstakingly proving her identity to the IRS, time after time over a 14-month period, was only a small part of the stress and utter frustration in the first fraud.  And  then, as if that trauma hadn’t sufficiently wreaked havoc in Ms. Hawa’s life, it happened a second time.

In employment fraud, an identity thief uses a taxpayer’s name and SSN to obtain a job. When the thief’s employer reports income to the IRS, the taxpayer appears to have unreported income on his or her return, leading to enforcement action. Think of your stress level when you open that envelope from the IRS demanding taxes for money you didn’t earn and don’t have!

The GAO states that the IRS’s ability to address identity theft issues is constrained by several factors, one being that privacy laws limit the sharing of ID theft information with other agencies. Another problem is the timing of fraud detection efforts; more than a year may have passed since the original fraud occurred.  The resources necessary to pursue the large volume of potential criminal refund and employment fraud cases are another constraint.

It’s imperative that we taxpayers take responsibility and implement the steps necessary to protect ourselves. There is very little that is more damaging and dangerous to your identity than losing your tax records. After all, tax records generally contain the most sensitive personally identifying information that you own, including Social Security Numbers (for you, your spouse and maybe even your kids), names, addresses, employers, net worth, etc. Because of this high concentration of sensitive data, tax time is like an all-you-can-eat buffet for identity thieves. Here are some of the dishes on which they greedily feed:

• Tax documents exposed on your desk (home and work)
• Private information that sits unprotected in your tax-preparer’s office
• Improperly mailed, emailed and digitally transmitted or filed records
• Photocopiers with hard drives that store a digital copy of your tax forms
• Copies of sensitive documents that get thrown out without being shredded
• Improperly stored and locked documents once your return is filed
• Tax-time scams that take advantage of our propensity to do whatever the IRS says (even if it’s not really the IRS asking)

John Sileo is an award-winning author and international speaker on the dark art of deception (identity theft, data privacy, social media manipulation) and its polar opposite, the powerful use of trust, to achieve success. He is CEO of The Sileo Group, which advises teams on how to multiply performance by building a culture of deep trust. His clients include the Department of Defense, Pfizer, the FDIC, and Homeland Security. Sample his Keynote Presentation (he shares how he lost $300,000, 2 years and his business to data breach) or watch him on Anderson Cooper, 60 Minutes or Fox Business. 1.800.258.8076.

Related posts:

1. Protect Your Taxes from Prying & Spying Eyes
2. Identity Theft Expert John Sileo on 60 Minutes
3. Business Killers: Identity Theft and Data Breach Protection FREE WEBINAR

1. Car Loans. According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, auto loan identity theft is twice as high as any other form. Most dealerships have you complete paperwork with identifying personal data (name, address, date of birth, phone number) up to and including a loan application, which likely includes your Social Security Number. How is this data handled? Unless you actually purchase the vehicle, and your paperwork becomes part of a permanent file, refuse to complete it. Most dealerships simply toss your paperwork after 30 days if you don’t make a purchase. Their trash receptacle then becomes a pre-qualified source for identity thieves.
2. The Pharmacy. Pharmacy records contain your personal identifying information (name, address, date of birth, phone number, insurance plan information, employer and often, your Social Security number). Thieves look anywhere for taking basic information to build a new identity, or to re-fill prescriptions that they can then sell. Make sure your pharmacy asks for your ID, and request confirmation that they shred personal data.
3. Doctor’s Office. This can be very serious, especially if a thief has manipulated your medical history through stealing your identity. When you fill out the requested forms at a physician’s office, do not put your Social Security number on the form. There is no reason the office needs this unless you are requesting some type of “loan” from them. Much of today’s information is sent via the Internet. Ask them what protections they have in place to safeguard your information. Many have installed firewalls, and other software, to help insure patient information safety, but many have not. If any medical facility or physician that you don’t recognize calls you asking for personal or medical information, question them. Ask who they are, why they need the information, what doctor referred them and if they have a number where you can call them back with this information. Verify their credentials. If you access your medical information online, read the facility’s privacy policy, as they are all required to have one posted. Read what information they collect, who they share their files with, ensure they have an encrypted site, and be very careful if you are accessing those files from a Wi-Fi location where your computer may be vulnerable to hacking.
4. Mortgage ID Theft. The house you’re living in may not be yours. An identity thief will obtain your personal information and use it to obtain a home loan, or an equity loan, without your knowledge. An equity loan gives the criminal quick cash. Using the value of a home is one of the easiest ways to secure cash. There have been cases where the thieves have actually sold the victim’s home while they were still living in it, and were unaware they’d been victimized. Second homes and vacation homes are especially vulnerable to this type of identity theft, as it allows the thieves a longer period of time to get cash out of the property, or sell it before the real owner is aware there is a problem. All homeowners should routinely check with their county record’s office to ensure that their information is correct. If you receive any paperwork regarding your mortgage, a transfer of your mortgage or lender, don’t toss it out, pay attention because it may be the only warning you get until a new owner is knocking at your door.
5. Cyber Greeting Cards. As we head into the holiday season, a new method of hacking into your computer is lurking in those adorable greeting cards sitting in your e-mail. It blinks at you saying you’ve been sent a greeting from a “friend.”

You open it and are directed to a site where malware will invade your computer, or you will be asked to “install” software to “play” the card. When this happens, malware, that could potentially destroy your computer or allow an identity thief access to your personal data, is unleashed. Unless the name of a real person that you know is attached to the greeting card, do not open it.

The Bottom Line

There is no way to protect your identity 100% of the time. Often, what happens to your personal information is completely out of your control. The only option you have is to be constantly diligent in tracking your information, protecting your information and asking where that information is going. You have the right to ask, you have the right to know and you have the right to withdraw that information if you feel uncomfortable.

Original story – 5 Overlooked Places Where Your Identity Can Be Stolen

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3. IRS Overwhelmed by Tax Related Identity Theft

A Florida man who admitted masterminding an identity theft ring has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution.

Oscar Diaz and his confederates used items stolen from parked cars to get money from their victims’ bank accounts, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. Prosecutors say they stole from people attending funerals.

“Diaz’s co-conspirators would even follow funeral processions in order to target cars parked at graveyards,” a release from Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said.

Diaz, 30, of Fort Lauderdale pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Baltimore earlier this month to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. At a hearing Friday he was ordered to pay the victims $130,000.

Investigators said Diaz and seven others, most of them from the Fort Lauderdale area, stole at least $200,000 during a few months in 2009. They stole identification from cars parked outside day-care centers, supermarkets and churches and used it to impersonate the victims at their banks.

Diaz’s co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

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3. IRS Overwhelmed by Tax Related Identity Theft

Identity theft speaker John Sileo shares his tax-time identity theft prevention tips.

This past week, I have been helping a gentleman recover from the theft of all of his tax records.  Before it is all over, this gentleman will have spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars simply preventing any further fraudulent use of his identity. That doesn’t account for any damages already done to his finances, criminal record, medical records or social security benefits. There is very little that is more damaging and dangerous to your identity than losing your tax records. After all, tax records generally contain the most sensitive personally identifying information that you own, including Social Security Numbers (for you, your spouse and maybe even your kids), names, addresses, employers, net worth, etc. Because of this high concentration of sensitive data, tax time is like an all-you-can-eat buffet for identity thieves. Here are some of the dishes on which they greedily feed:

• Tax documents exposed on your desk (home and work)
• Private information that sits unprotected in your tax-preparer’s office
• Improperly mailed, emailed and digitally transmitted or filed records
• Photocopiers with hard drives that store a digital copy of your tax forms
• Copies of sensitive documents that get thrown out without being shredded
• Improperly stored and locked documents once your return is filed
• Tax-time scams that take advantage of our propensity to do whatever the IRS says (even if it’s not really the IRS asking)

Top Tips for Tax Time Identity Theft Protection Safe Preparation. Your greatest risk of identity theft during tax season comes from your tax preparer (if you use one) either because they are dishonest (less likely) or because they are careless with your sensitive documents (more likely). Just walk into a tax-preparers office on April 1 and ask yourself how easy it would be to walk off with a few client folders containing mounds of profitable identity. The devil is in the disorganization. Effective Solutions:

• Choose your preparer wisely. How well do you know the person and company preparing your taxes? Did they come personally recommended, or could they be earning cash on the side by selling your personal information. Do they have an established record and are they recommended by the Better Business Bureau?
• Interview your preparer before you turn over sensitive information. Ask them exactly how they protect your privacy (do they have a privacy policy?). Are they meeting with you in a room full of client files, or do they take you to a neutral, data-free, conference room or office? Do they leave files out on their desk for the cleaning service to access at night, or do they lock your documents in a filing cabinet or behind a secure office door? Do they protect their computers with everything listed in the next section?
• Asking professional tax preparers these questions sends them a message that you are watching! Identity thieves tend to stay away from people they know are actively monitoring for fraud. Remember, losing your identity inside of their accounting or bookkeeping business poses a tremendous legal liability to their livelihood.

Secure Computers. Last year, more than 80 million Americans filed their tax returns electronically. To prevent electronic identity theft, you must take the necessary steps to protect your computer, network and wireless connection. Additionally, your tax preparer should be working only on a secured computer, network and internet connection. Hire a professional to implement the following security measures:

• Strong alpha-numeric passwords that keep strangers out of your system
• Anti-virus and anti-spyware software configured with automatic updates
• Encrypted hard drives or folders (especially for your tax preparer)
• Automatic operating system updates and security patches
• An encrypted wireless network protection
• A firewall between your computer and the internet
• Remove all file-sharing programs from your computer (limewire, napster, etc.)

Private information should be transmitted by phone using your cell or land line (don’t use cordless phones). In addition, never email your private information to anyone unless you are totally confident that you are using encrypted email. This is a rarity, so don’t assume you have it. In a pinch, you can email password protected PDF documents, though these are relatively easy to hack. Stop Falling for IRS Scams. We have a heightened response mechanism during tax season; we don’t want to raise any red flags with the IRS, so we tend to give our personal information without much thought. We are primed to be socially engineered. Here’s how to combat the problem:

• Make your default answer, “No”. When someone asks for your Social Security Number or other identifying information, refuse until you are completely comfortable that they are legitimate. Verify their credentials by calling them back on a published number for the IRS.
• If someone promises you (by phone, fax, mail, or in person) to drastically reduce your tax bill or speed up your tax return, don’t believe them until you have done your homework (call the IRS directly if you have to). These schemes flourish when the government issues economic stimulus checks and IRS refunds.
• If anyone asks you for information in order to send you your check, they are scamming for your identity. The IRS already knows where you live (and where to send your rebate)! By the way, the IRS will NEVER email you for any reason (e.g., promising a refund, requesting information, threatening you).
• To learn more about IRS scams, visit the only legitimate IRS website, which is www.irs.gov. If you are hit by an IRS scam, contact the IRS’s Taxpayer Advocate Service at www.irs.gov/advocate.

Mail Safely. A good deal of identity theft takes place while tax documents or supporting material are being sent through the mail. If you are sending your tax return through the mail, follow these steps:

• Walk the envelope inside of the post office and hand it to an employee. Too much mail is stolen out of the blue USPS mailboxes and driveway mailboxes that we use for everything else to make them safe.
• Send your return by certified mail so that you know it has arrived safely. This sends a message to each mail carrier that they had better provide extra protection to the document they are carrying.
• Consider filing electronically so that you take mail out of the equation. Make sure that you have a well-protected computer (discussed above).

Shred and Store Safely. Any copies of tax documents that you no longer need can be shredded using a confetti shredder. Store all tax records, documents and related materials in a secure fire safe. I recommend spending the extra money to have your safe bolted into your home so that a thief can’t walk away with your entire identity portfolio. Make sure that your tax provider appropriately destroys and locks up any lingering pieces of your identity as well. Tax returns provide more of your private information in a single place than almost any other document in our lives. Don’t waste your tax refund recovering from this crime.

Related posts:

1. Top Tips to Stop Tax Time Identity Theft
2. Avoid Tax Time Identity Theft
3. Identity Theft Prevention in a Hotel

Let me boil it down to the Top 5 Identity Theft Findings that impact you (and my comments and opinions in parentheses):

1. Overall Identity Fraud Incidents Increased in the United States (the problem is getting worse as the economy sinks and people turn to crime to pay their bills)
2. Costs to Consumers are Down (businesses are being forced to take greater responsibility for the liabilities and costs of identity theft – in other words, the burden is shifting from the consumer to corporate America)
3. Fraudsters are Moving Much More Quickly (the crime of identity theft is moving from garden variety criminals into the hands of organized crime)
4. Gender Disparity—Women were 26 percent more likely to be victims of identity fraud than men in 2008 (three factors: 1. women’s purses contain more identity; 2. women are less cynical and more trusting of others [a generalization that proves itself anecdotally in my identity theft speeches every week - it is much easier to get a purse from a woman than a wallet from a man]; 3. more women than men are responsible for household finances, putting them at higher risk of losing the data
5. Low-tech Methods Still Most Popular (technology is an enabler of this crime, but not a root cause – see my post on this topic)

Conclusion? Identity theft isn’t going away – until we deal with it personally, in our corporate boardrooms and legislatively, it will continue to be America’s fastest growing crime.

For more information, check out the Javelin Press Release here:

http://www.idsafety.net/Javelin2009IdentityFraudSurveyPressRelease.pdf

You can download the entire Fraud Report 2009 here:

http://www.idsafety.net/report.html

John Sileo, Identity Theft Speaker and Fan of Javelin’s Studies

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3. Detection-Fraud: 15 Signs You’re a Victim of Identity Theft!

We are.

Too often, technology is our scapegoat, providing a convenient excuse to sit apathetically in our corner offices, unwilling to put our money where our profits are. Unwilling, in this case, to even gaze over at the enormous profit-sucking sound that is mass data theft. The deeper cause of this crisis festers in the boardrooms of corporate America. Like an overflowing river, poor privacy leadership flows inexorably downhill from the CEO, until at last, it undermines the very banks that contain it.

The identity theft and data breach bottom line? Corporate boardrooms across America care about the loss of people’s personal data about as much as Ford cared about recalling the Pinto when they began exploding on rear impact. Hey, it was cheaper to fight the lawsuits from the surviving relatives than re-engineer the gas tank. And it’s cheaper to take a tax write-off on fraud-loss line items than to dig this weed up by the roots. We fail to see the connection between privacy breaches and larger profit hits — liability lawsuits, brand damage, customer flight, stock depreciation, loss of trust in the company, bad press, etc. Just ask TJX, who has spent well over $500 million recovering from their data breach – a breach that could have been prevented with only tens of thousands of dollars.

In clearer terms, poor leadership (not technology) is the primary factor leading to data breach. And we stand by, you and me both, mostly silent and submissive, as corporation after corporation loses our private data. We suffer the consequences. It is our credit that is destroyed; our time wasted dealing with law enforcement, credit bureaus, collection agencies, bankruptcy courts, criminal charges and the deep and personal violation of being the victim of a crime that no one really cares about. It makes a great news story, but only because we can deny that it will ever reach us.

Millions of years ago we evolved from the primordial slime with a backbone built for standing up to our challenges. Why, all of a sudden, has our backbone disappeared? We’ve built the Great Wall of China, landed on the moon, eradicated polio and elected the first African American, Barack Obama, to be President of the United States. But we can’t protect the customer data, employee records and intellectual capital that gives our corporations their value? That underlies our capitalist economy? Information is our most valuable asset, but god forbid we invest in a privacy strategy to protect that asset.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Prviacy Leadership: How CEOs (and other Executives) Enable Data Breach

As an identity theft speaker who travels the country speaking on this topic, I’ve noticed that a majority of corporations experiencing data breach and workplace identity theft share similar weaknesses in their overall privacy fabric. You have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes before they become yours. Begin by asking yourself whether you (as a leader) or your organization suffers from any of the 7 Deadly Sins:

1. Apathy – a disturbing lack of care for and attention to a crime you incorrectly believe will never seriously impact your bottom line. If you have never had a corporate-wide privacy education initiative, you are a prime candidate for this weakness.
2. Ignorance – many leaders refuse to admit that they don’t know what they don’t know. For example, do you know the value, location and confidentiality of your sensitive data?  Do you know how it is protected, how long it is maintained and why you keep it in the first place?
3. Arrogance – some executives see themselves as champions of data privacy because they have a strong IT department, but fail to see that privacy doesn’t exist in a silo. Does your organization tend to believe that data privacy is the realm of the I.T. Department? If so, you are overlooking other critical functions (human resources, sales, intellectual property, legal compliance) that are touched by privacy concerns on a daily basis.
4. Greed – many CEOs are the first to violate the very privacy policies that they champion. Have you ever surfed unprotected at the airport? Do you shred every piece of sensitive data that goes in your trash? What passwords are stored in your BlackBerry?
5. Hypocrisy – many CEOs are the first to violate the very privacy policies that they champion. Have you ever surfed unprotected at the airport? Do you shred every piece of sensitive data that goes in your trash? What passwords are stored in your BlackBerry?
6. Paralysis - some companies and executives have difficulty breaking old habits and, by default, choose to perpetuate high-risk data practices. Do you collect certain private information simply because you always have? Have you ever re-evaluated your hiring policies to take corporate espionage, workplace identity theft and insider fraud into account?
7. Procrastination – Even executives who care about, educate themselves on, admit to, have the budget to invest in and personally practice data safety… never get around to doing something about it at the corporate level. When you are finished with this article, how will your behavior change? Will you get to it later?

This is not an easy topic, but running an organization isn’t an easy task. Leaders that guide their corporations to develop a privacy strategy that avoids these security sins will achieve a long-term competitive advantage in the marketplace. And in the marketplace of ideas, in the oft-proclaimed information economy, what better asset to protect than our private information?

John Sileo is a victim of The 7 Deadly Sins of Data Privacy. After losing his business to data breach and his reputation to identity theft, John became America’s leading identity theft speaker. He uses his gripping story, first-hand experiences and humorous interaction to inspire audiences around the world to protect corporate data as if it were their own. His clients include the Department of Defense, FDIC, AARP and Pfizer. Learn more at www.ThinkLikeASpy.com.

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Is LifeLock identity theft monitoring service truly free to military personnel, or is it just for certain personnel?

I may be an identity theft expert, but I don’t automatically have all of the answers (at least the correct ones). I had heard several weeks ago on a different base that LifeLock offered this service to all members of the military. But following my own advice to verify my sources, I thought I had better research what I had heard before I officially passed it along.

As it turns out, LifeLock is not free to all military personnel. It is only free to deployed personnel in Afghanistan or Iraq while they are actually deployed. In addition, LifeLock offers the service free to members of the Air Force Sergeants Association.

To read more about LifeLock’s service as it pertains to the military, take a look at this USA Today article.

During my speech, I promised to give you easy-to-complete action steps to protect your identity against theft, as well as that of your loved ones. I’d like to deliver on that promise by directing you to a full page article I’ve written specifically for you: John Sileo’s Military Identity Theft Protection Kit. If you have additional suggestions for protecting military IDs that I haven’t covered in this article, please include your comments at the bottom of the post. With your input, this conversation should contribute to the financial stability of our armed forces – which is vital, because, as you are aware, financial readiness is mission readiness.

For those of you who asked to purchase a copy of my book, Stolen Lives, you can do so at www.ThinkLikeASpy.com. Be sure you choose the Speaking Engagement Shipping option in your shopping cart as it will give you free shipping.

There were several questions that were asked after my speech was over that I wanted to address here:

1. Does freezing your credit affect your ability to make charges on your credit card? Absolutely not! It only affects new accounts being set up (car loans, home loans, etc.) using your credit profile. It will not affect any existing accounts that you have. You will still be able to make purchases on your credit or debit card without any additional hassle.
2. How do I protect my kids? I recommend that you simply monitor your kid’s credit reports, much like you would your own. To learn how to get a free credit report for a child, read this excellent article from creditcards.com.
3. To add children to your identity monitoring service (such as CSIdentity) visit the Child Identity Monitoring Section on their website.

John Sileo
ID Theft Expert

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It seems that home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are the latest in a series of financial devices that identity thieves are using to undermine your net worth. As Jay MacDonald of Bankrate.com points out in a CNBC article:

…now that the door to subprime lending has slammed shut, thieves have set their sights on those with good credit and substantial equity in their homes — deep pools of cash that can be easily tapped via a HELOC.

Sharks in deep pools
The FBI says HELOC thieves typically use stolen identification to apply online for a line of credit in your name. Then they instruct the bank to wire the funds to their accounts, providing their own contact information in place of yours. That way, the bank unwittingly contacts the thief to verify the electronic funds transfer.

To learn more, read the entire article: ID Thieves Tap Home Equity Lines.

John Sileo
Financial Keynote Speaker

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1. Commonly Overlooked Sources of Identity Theft
2. Does Your Financial Advisor Protect You from Identity Theft?
3. Javelin Identity Theft & Identity Fraud 2009 Survey

In addition to denying Governor Palin access to her own account, the hacker had full control to:

• Read every saved and current email in her account (hopefully she never sent her Social Security Number, passwords or account numbers via email, not to mention correspondence pertaining to her role as candidate for Vice President of the U.S.)

• Steal the email addresses and any other sensitive information stored in her contacts (John McCain might want to change his email address)

• Send out emails as if the hacker were Sarah Palin, or worse yet, send out official emails as Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin

The potential for abuse is mind boggling. Sarah Palin should take immediate steps to protect her stolen identity and to secure her future privacy.  Here are a sampling of the steps I would recommend:

1. Before closing down the compromised account, she should review all of the emails and contacts to which the hacker had access. Any account numbers, passwords, pin numbers or other personally identifying information that she sent via email should be handled on a case-by-case basis. For example, if she emailed her credit card number, that account should immediately be closed. This is a perfect example of why you shouldn’t send any information by email that you don’t want published on the front page of a newspaper.
2. Subscribe to an identity surveillance service so that she can monitor the illegal use of her identity beyond standard credit report tracking. Remember, less than 20% of identity theft touches your credit report, so it is important to monitor other sources of risk, including non-credit loan reports, cyber-trafficking of your personal data, and court, criminal or government documents posted online, etc. The service I use to monitor these identity items (and to insure me and help me recover in case my identity is used illegally) is CSIDentity.com. The compromised data may not be used for years, so it is important to keep a watchful eye over time and not resort to a one-time credit check.
3. Monitor her credit reports for free. This is important because it will allow her to establish a baseline credit file. In other words, she will know what the credit portion of her identity looks like before the thief has a chance to take advantage of it. That way, when her credit file changes (and she is alerted to the change by the surveillance service in step 2), she will immediately recognize the change.
4. At the very minimum, place a fraud alert on her credit file with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. I recommend going one step further and actually placing a complete credit freeze on her social security number. This will keep any identity thieves from setting up new credit accounts in her name by assigning a password to her credit file. It is slightly inconvenient and can cost a few dollars, but it is the best step for someone whose identity has been knowingly stolen. Make sure to sign up for the identity surveillance (step 2) before freezing credit, as this makes the monitoring process more difficult.
5. Change her habits. The longer-term solution to this problem is for Governor Palin to stop revealing so much personal information (to corporations, on the internet, etc.). Identity thieves collect personal information about you in small pieces (a birthday from Wikipedia, your address from Google, your home value from mypublicinfo.com, private details from your blog or website, etc.). This is not an easy task, especially when you are a public figure. But a bit more discretion on her part will go a long way.

Unfortunately, Sarah Palin isn’t alone in needing to take these steps. You should too, before your email correspondence ends up as the top story on CNN.

John Sileo is America’s Top Identity Theft Speaker and the award-winning author of Stolen Lives: Identity Theft Prevention Made Simple. To learn more about having John motivate your audience to proactively protect sensitive information, please visit www.ThinkLikeASpy.com or call 800-258-8076. For further identity theft prevention tips, visit the Sileo Privacy Project at www.Sileo.com.

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1. Is Online Banking Safe from Identity Theft?
2. Are Your Kids Safe Online?
3. Javelin Identity Theft & Identity Fraud 2009 Survey

Click here to view the embedded video.

For more tips of this type, please visit my YouTube Identity Theft Expert Video Channel at www.YouTube.com/JohnSileo. It is relatively new, but my office is working diligently to add content every week. Some people like to read, some like to watch, so I will continue to add blogs of both types. Travel wisely this summer.

John Sileo
Motivational Identity Theft Speaker

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