It is better to stop identity theft from happening in the first place than have to fix or repair the situation afterwards. Steve Weisman reveals the threats of new identity theft attacks based on use of Facebook, iPad, iPhone, Android, cloud apps, iPod, and other new technologies -- and shows you how to protect yourself, or how to fix the damage if you've already been attacked! Discover why ID theft is more dangerous than ever, and discover today's most dangerous new threats -- including attacks targeting medical records, personal finance and online banking sites, the elderly, and military service members. Meet the hackers and organized crime groups who want to steal your identity and money -- and learn how to protect your data and your life! Step by step, Weisman shows how to avoid risks, minimize risks you can't completely avoid, and immediately take the right steps if you're ever victimized. He objectively reviews new products and services that promise to fight identity theft, and previews emerging dangers, such as RFID credit cards. If you use a computer, the Internet, a smartphone, cell phone, tablet, or any other communications device, 50 Ways to Protect Your Identity in a Digital Age isn't just an indispensable wake-up call: it's the world's best resource for protecting yourself!

Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Identity Theft 3 Chapter 2: Making Yourself Less Vulnerable to Identity Theft 25 Chapter 3: Danger on the Computer and What to Do If You Are the Victim of Identity Theft 43 Chapter 4: Your Social Security Number--An Identity Thief's Lucky Number 63 Chapter 5: Criminal Identity Theft, Taxes--And More Arresting Problems 81 Chapter 6: Technology, Business, and Government Fight Identity Theft 105 Chapter 7: Financial Privacy Please: The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act 119 Chapter 8: Credit Reports 127 Chapter 9: Congress Deals with Credit Reports and Identity Theft: The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act 151 Chapter 10: Protecting Your Privacy--A Key to Preventing Identity Theft 161 Chapter 11: ID Theft-Security Software 169 Chapter 12: The Dangers of Data Breaches 171 Chapter 13: Identity Theft Insurance--Worth the Price? 181 Chapter 14: Identity Theft after Death 185 Chapter 15: Identity Theft and the Elderly 189 Chapter 16: Identity Theft from Children 195 Chapter 17: Identity Theft Risks of Smartphones and Other Mobile Devices 201 Chapter 18: Identity Theft Threats with Credit Cards and Debit Cards 211 Chapter 19: Medical Identity Theft 219 Chapter 20: Identity Theft and Social Media 225 Chapter 21: Form Letters 235 Chapter 22: Steve's Rules 273 Index 281