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