Identity theft & computer fraud is on the rise in the wake of the financial meltdown. Interested in learning more? Here are some links and literature for you to peruse on internet fraud and identity theft:

NEWS & ARTICLES

According to a May 2005 study by the Cyber Security Industry Alliance, almost half of Americans surveyed - 48% - say they avoid making purchases online because they are afraid their personal information, such as credit-card numbers, will be stolen.

Still in Search of Disclosure:  Re-evaluating How Search Engines Explain the Presence of Advertising in Search Results June 9, 2005 - Consumer Reports WebWatch - Jergen J. Wouters

Does your favorite search engine display results based on a paid inclusion fee?  Paid inclusion is when Web sites pay a fee to increase the likelihood they will appear somewhere within search results, without a guarantee of a high ranking.

At least 9 of the top 15 search engines tested use paid inclusion.  The 9 search engines that use paid inclusion are:  Alta Vista, CNET's Search.com, Infospace, Lycos, My Search, My Way, Overture, Web Search, and Yahoo!.  The following 6 search engines do not use paid inclusion:  1st Blaze, AOL Search, Ask Jeeves, Google, MSN Search, and Netscape.  For more information, download the full report in .pdf format.

To be continually updated on the most recent information on how to avoid identity theft, and internet scams,  check out government resources.  The Federal Trade Commission's website http://www.ftc.gov/does a great job of educating consumers with their "Deter, Detect, Defend" campaign.  You can expect this website to be updated periodically and to provide free accurate information without a commercial twist.

Indentity theft and internet scams are on the rise in the wake of the global recession of 2009.   Commercial enterprises such as LifeLock offer indentity theft protection for a fee that: (1) notifies subscibers when a change of address is made in their name to prevent a fraudster from rerouting their mail, & (2) takes your name off junk mail and pre-approved credit card lists that generate unsolicited credit cars that can be stolen out of your mail box.  Many of these protection services offer a service guarantee against loses, and provide protection for children and young people.  Children and young people are popular targets for identity theft because no one regularly checks their credit history.  These identity theft services are available online and at most office supply stores.  Students should obtain a free credit report before the reach age 18 to make sure no one has stolen their identity before they are legally obligated for contractual debts!

Congress has recently passed laws allowing consumers to get free annual credit reports from the three major credit bureaus so a person can see exactly what is happening with their credit history.  DON'T pay for a credit report, these credit bureaus are required to give you one free each year.   Consumers can request their annual credit report by going to http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.    If you find something on your history that is inaccurate. challenge it with the credit agency and make them remove it.   It make take a while, but be persistent!

The phrase "There is a sucker born every minute" is often, and erroneously, attributed to P.T. Barnum, the founder of the Barnum and Bailey Circus (actually his competitor said it).   But oh how true!   Look for the hook, be wary, and you won't be one of those suckers.

ONLINE RESOURCES

BOOKS WORTH A LOOK

Caught in the Net: How to Recognize the Signs of Internet Addiction and a Winning Strategy for Recovery
By Kimberly Young

Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids (and Parents and Teachers Who Haven't Got a Clue)
By Winn Schwartau .