This week alone, Congress has passed a bill enforcing stronger identity theft protection laws and the Senate has introduced a bill specifically aimed at reducing the identity theft risk among the elderly. In 2006, President Bush even appointed a task force specifically aimed at eradicating identity theft. So, it would seem that the United States government has a vested interest in helping Americans find freedom and protection from the fastest growing crime in America. But when you dig beneath the surface you may be surprised about what you find.

We here in America have a lot about which to be proud when it comes to our record with Europe.
We liberated Vichy France from the evils of German Fascism.
We beat England in our war for independence.
We make far better cars than Italy (with the possible exclusion of the Ferrari, that is).
So, where, you ask, do they beat us?

On January 20, 2009, America will change. A new president will be sworn in, a Congress with a fortified Democratic majority will be in power and now President-elect Barack Obama will likely sign into law some very significant economic reforms within the first ten days of taking office.
Candidate Obama spoke often and eloquently about the dichotomy between Main Street and Wall Street, telling America that, while average Americans were responsible to some degree, Wall Street was largely to blame for our current economic downturn. Corporate America, he argued, took advantage of the Little Guy.

For months the United States has been laboring through a recession. Businesses have been closing (Borders and Waldenbooks), major stores have been reducing drastically their prices in the hopes of stimulating purchases (Macy’s and Best Buy), companies in the auto industry and more have required swift government intervention (GM and Citigroup), unemployment lines are getting longer and predictions for 2009 are getting worse.

Because the outlook appears dire for the upcoming year, banks are still largely refraining from lending credit...

Remember how 2007 was supposed to be better? And how 2008 was supposed to be great? Unfortunately that wasn’t the case for thousands upon thousands of Americans who were victimized by some form of identity fraud. While the government and private entities have done their best to get the word out about how prevalent, damaging and time-consuming being victimized by identity theft can be, not everyone is paying attention. Let’s make sure that, for you and your loved ones, 2009 is just fine!

We all conjure up different images of ourselves at the mere mention of a new year about to begin. We imagine more muscle and less fat, greater assets and fewer debts, more reconciliations and fewer arguments; the list is long and hopeful. We’re confident in our abilities to change ourselves and work hard to reach our goals. But sometimes the idea of a “whole new you” isn’t just confined to what you have in mind for your own self. Sometimes it gets hijacked by plotting, scheming, clever thieves who are waiting for you to get overwhelmed with all that the holiday season brings to pounce on you. The result? A whole new, fake you that opens up a multitude of credit and bank accounts and charges up a storm.

The story goes like this: A revered financial genius on Wall Street starts his own advisory company. Many people invest with his fund and reap great returns. This attracts many large investors, including renowned global banks. For decades, the company rewards its investors with larger-than-life returns. One day, his company is exposed as the biggest fraud in the history of finance, and everyone associated with his fund has been wiped out clean.