The proliferation of the Internet and networked technology has greatly increased the public's access to information. Unfortunately, this very fact has made it easier for identity thieves to strike. The Internet is their playground, and they often live it up on other people's dimes. All they need to do is hack databases of companies that are rife with personal information, sweet talk customer service reps into divulging personal info, or sift through paper in recycling plants. These are the methods of identity thieves, there are too many such people out there, and negative consequences for such illegal, immoral and detrimental behavior are essentially nil.

ID thieves can steal hundreds of identities with the click of a mouse, and they are rarely prosecuted for it. Only one out of every 600 cases of ID theft ever ends up in a criminal court. In fact, the way that companies operate pretty much makes it open season for these white-collar criminals.  Cops can become lost in the sea of paperwork that is necessary for law enforcement to proceed with these cases. District attorneys would sometimes rather proceed with cases that they have a better chance of winning. 

Your Evil Twin: Behind the Identity Theft Epidemic by Bob Sullivan, 2004

I always tell my computer class students to be wary of entering their credit card information online due to the prevalence of criminals waiting to claim their data as their own. I love the cover with the guy invitingly sticking a credit card in your face; whose is it?

• Books on identity theft
• ID Theft Resource Center
• Identity Theft Council
• Bob Sullivan's Consumer Advocacy