"I was a victim, and I didn't even know until I had trouble with my credit." Anita Davis, president of the Florida Consumer Action Network, did not know she was among the 10 million Americans targeted by identify thieves last year or among 430 cases of such fraud reported in Tallahassee this year.

Davis spoke at a news conference Tuesday hosted by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Get Ahead Partnership (GAP) to urge businesses and their customers to take action to keep from becoming victims of identify theft.

There are lots of thieves out to steal your identify and mess up your life, Walter Dartland said. Dartland is a former assistant attorney general and noted consumer advocate who now serves as executive director of the Consumer Federation of the Southeast.

"They're out there phishing every day," said David Hauser, identity-theft risk-management specialist with Pre-Paid Legal Services, at the news conference.  

"Once you get into cell phones and Blackberries, it's the wild, wild West out there," said Texas Police Deptartment Capt. Kelly Burke, also of Pre-Paid Legal Services, warning that thieves can capture Internet transmissions and personal data just by passing by someone using their cell phone.

Complete article here:
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061018/NEWS01/610180332/1010/NEWS01

So, what would YOU do if you were a victim?

Would you know where to turn?

Really, what plan do you have?

And what do you think about identity theft?


DiDi