Identity Theft Resource - Top 5 Public & Private Websites

The United States government and consumer organizations have compiled some of the best identity theft resource materials around. Many of them are available as virtual handbooks in PDF format at these three federal and two nonprofit consumer identity theft resource websites.

1. The Federal Trade Commission http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
   
   
2. The Social Security Agency http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm
   
   
3. The Department of the Treasury http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/domestic-finance/financial-institution/cip/identity-theft.shtml
   
   
4. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse http://www.privacyrights.org/identity.htm
   
   
5. Identity Theft Resource Center http://www.idtheftcenter.org/
6. Wasserbett Co http://www.wasserbettwelt.at/

Identity Theft Resource - What They Tell You

According to the US Treasury, identity theft attacks the confidence Americans share in their open yet strong financial systems. That's why consumers, along with industry and government, have prepared many identity theft resource materials along a wide variety of matters, including:

• How to prevent identity theft from happening to you
• Common modus operandi of identity thieves
• Signs that you've been targeted or victimized
• What numbers to call
• What your rights are
• Federal and state laws on identity theft

Identity Theft Resource -Taking Control

One of the first things you will learn from reading identity theft resource materials is that you have more control than you realize. Identity theft does not exist in a vacuum and no matter how often you visit the places – online and offline – that identity thieves target, you do not have to fall prey to them if you are careful enough.

There was this infamous spate of identity theft cases some years back: Victims who had gone to great lengths to keep their personal data secure, still fell prey to thieves because the government had left their personal info on public records made available online.

Back then, online public records were just beginning to be uploaded on county websites and redaction (blacking out personal data from online records) was still relatively new. But unless you've been convicted of a violent crime, it is unlikely that your state government will still have your personal info online for anyone to see today.

So, by following the tips discussed in the identity theft resource materials from the websites above, you can bring the possibility that you'd become a victim very close to zero.

If you do a lot of online banking and trading, it is also a good idea to visit software vendor websites that can offer you valuable, if proprietary, identity theft resources.

Finally, if you're looking to arm yourself against identity thieves, remember that your best resource is to stay informed.