Crime has moved yet another step forward in its unyielding progression through society. Now it is identity theft. Trying to combat both legal and illegal theft continues to occupy a large portion of the average citizen's life. Identity theft or identity fraud generally involves 'stealing' another person's personal identifying information -- such as Social Security number (SSN), date of birth, and mother's maiden name -- and then using the information to fraudulently establish credit, run up debt, or take over existing financial accounts. This new book examines the extent of the problem, its costs and remedies under the law. CONTENTS: Preface; Identity Theft: Prevalence and Cost Appear to be Growing; Awareness and Use of Existing Data on Identity Theft; Remedies Available to Victims of Identity Theft; Identity Theft and the Fair Credit Reporting Act; Subject Index.