| Criminals regularly "case" | | | | a bone and brush his teeth with it, thus |
| residential neighborhoods, staking out homes | | | | inventing the tooth brush, why can't you just |
| that are vacant--due to vacationing, business | | | | as easily protect yourself from this |
| travels, or other away-from-home reasons. | | | | nearly-effortless crime? |
| Object, of course, is to, when empty, | | | | |
| burglarize them. | | | | You can. And, the solution doesn't have to be |
| | | | so unappetizing as drinking a quart of used |
| Identity thieves are now taking the easy way | | | | hot dog water. But, there's only one way you |
| when engaging in this pastime. They simply | | | | can do it with complete assurance it will |
| gather up the names and addresses, fill out | | | | work. |
| change-of-address forms at the Post Office, | | | | |
| and await delivery of this mail to a new | | | | Divorce your identity from your residential |
| address of their choosing. There they can | | | | address. Divert your mail to a Post Office |
| leisurely rifle through the victims' mail in | | | | box or private receiving / forwarding |
| search of credit card and debit card data, | | | | service. Sure, you would have the |
| IRS W-2 forms at tax time (which include | | | | inconvenience of daily mail pick-up, but |
| social security numbers), bank statements, | | | | maybe, just maybe, this could be one of the |
| and all other highly personal information. | | | | most decisive steps you could ever take to |
| They then fit themselves out with a brand | | | | protect yourself from this too-easy form of |
| new identity--yours, if they are staking you | | | | crime. This remedy is near fool-proof. |
| out--and go on a spending spree at their | | | | Obviously, if there is no mail delivery to |
| victim's--or your-- expense. To pursue this | | | | your home, the identity thief cannot possibly |
| line of gainful endeavor, the con man does | | | | divert it. |
| not even have to develop an elaborate shell | | | | |
| game. | | | | In this wrought-iron world of crisscross |
| | | | cause and effect, a clear path to justice is |
| Perhaps the most frightening thing about this | | | | obscured. If you were ever hit up with the |
| latest form of identity theft is the | | | | total loss of identity this form of theft |
| no-hassle mechanics of it: simply filling | | | | would entail, you would have to seek a |
| out a change-of-address form and presenting | | | | solution through the twisted logic of a |
| it at the Post Office counter. They don't | | | | nightmare. Hundreds and hundreds of hours of |
| even have to provide an ID. | | | | agonizing mental torture would await you. |
| | | | You could go through the hellish ordeal of |
| Do you hear the not-too-distant thunder? | | | | identity reconstruction, credit |
| And, the lack of defenses you have against | | | | repositioning, police investigations, legal |
| such unprovoked attacks on your good name is | | | | maneuverings, stress counseling, and maybe, |
| near-total. It's chilling. | | | | even, funny farm admittance procedures. |
| | | | |
| Then, what options do you have? How do you | | | | If you can't stop singing, The Green, Green |
| fight back? There's got to be a means, an | | | | Grass of Home, as your psychiatrist is |
| equally simple way to protect yourself. | | | | tightening your straight jacket straps, it's |
| Right? You'd think so. If, in 1770, a | | | | because you failed to protect your identity |
| London prisoner could attach some bristles to | | | | from theft. |