Swiped: How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers, and Identity Thieves

In this alarming book, Levin, a consumer advocate and founder of the consulting agency Identity Theft 911, warns about the prominent dangers of identity fraud in the increasingly digital world. Levin details the numerous ways in which individuals can "get got," citing several real-world examples, such as the ramifications of a seemingly harmless photo of a Target employee that went viral after a customer tweeted it. He explains how information is ripe for the swiping by criminals who make stealing identities their full-time job. Levin's proactive and (mostly) practical approach to combating what he considers the inevitable includes the "Three Ms": minimize your exposure, monitor your accounts, and manage the damage. He breaks down common types of identity theft sources%E2%80%94credit card scams, data breaches, social media posts, healthcare fraud, and even so-called "smart TVs"%E2%80%94and concludes that "when it comes to the security of our data, we are all in the same state of emergency." Appendices make up nearly one-fourth of the book with true stories of fraud and a glossary of scams. If Levin's objective was to convince readers they will become victims of identity theft, mission accomplished. This isn't as much a solution-based handbook as it is a primer on the potential dangers and what's at stake. (Nov.)