Every one loves a "Top 10" this time of year, so here is a great one from our friends at Kroll Fraud Solutions. It was put together by Brian Lapidus - Kroll Fraud Solution chief operating officer and identity theft expert.

Enjoy!

1. Beware the Word "Prevent"

No person and no product can prevent identity theft. As long as criminals can benefit from stealing, there will be theft. Sensitive personal information (SPI) is everywhere, housed and archived in a mind-boggling variety of ways. Individuals and companies can reduce access to SPI and improve safeguards around it by working to change how we share, collect, store and dispose of information.

2. There Are No Guarantees

This mantra holds true for a lot of things in life and dealing with identity theft is no exception. While a number of instances of fraud can be restored to pre-theft status, some identity dilemmas simply can’t be fixed. If you’re on the ‘no fly list’ thanks to an imposter or an error, you’ll stay there. A third-party solution cannot deliver a remedy.

3. Watch for "Shoulder Surfers" and "Skimmers"

Shield the entry of personal identification numbers (PINs), and be aware of people standing entirely too close by when using your credit or debit card in public. Especially with the advent of cell phone cameras, a sneaky, shoulder surfing thief can get your private information pretty easily, if you’re not careful. It’s also advisable to use teller machines that are familiar to you, so you are in a better position to identify when the equipment looks different or doesn’t “feel right.” Your increased awareness may reveal a skimmer’s attempt to steal PINs and banking details at that site.

4. Keep Your Social Security Card Safe at Home

Unless you’re on your way to fill out a job application, there are very few reasons to carry around the crown jewel of SPI. At lunch a few weeks ago, the woman beside me opened her wallet for a credit card and there was her Social Security card, too. Remember, ID theft and fraud are not exclusively credit-related – thieves can use a clean Social Security number to construct a whole new life.

Additional note from Dave: I regularly receive emails from Fight Identity Theft visitors explaining how they just had their purse or wallet stolen with their Social Security card inside. Remove that card today!

» Read the rest of the entry - Top 10 Identity Theft Tips for 2008

This has bounced around the internet the past few months, but I just had to share it.

In this clip, an eBay scammer appears on Judge Judy and is absolutely destroyed. Her scam was listing cell phones on Ebay, but instead of delivering an actual phone, she ships the buyer a photo of a cell phone.

How cute.

She tries to defend her scam by claiming that the buyer should have seen "photo only" in the fine print of the ad. Yeah, I’m sure that would work at a car dealership as well… 

"I’m sorry sir, we can’t let drive the Mercedes home tonight. You actually only purchased the Mercedes S-600 brochure - not the car. We’re sorry, but that’s what the contract states if you look here at the bottom of page 15."

Fraud is fraud, whether it happens on eBay or at your local car dealership. Too bad the scammer got her comeuppance on a TV show instead of a real court. In any case, Judge Judy makes it pretty clear she’s going to do her best to sick the IRS and child protective services on the woman.

Charles Darrow patented Monopoly in 1935. Since then, millions of people have turned giddy when receiving the "Bank Error in Your Favor" card from Community Chest.

Unfortunately, bank errors are nothing but a hassle in real life - the only thing you collect is a headache and frustration. To help reduce the headache, here are 10 things that everyone should know about bank errors:

Be Patient
The problem will not be solved over night. Banks process many transactions every day and it may take a few days for them to track down and solve your problem.

Be Quick
Call in the error to the bank supervisor (there isn’t much that a teller can do) as soon as you discover it. The sooner the bank can start looking into it the better.

Keep Notes
Keep quality notes of who you talk to, when you talked to them, and what was said/promised. You may need to make several phone calls and it helps to be able to clearly state who you spoke with and what was said. You also may be required to provide documentation somewhere down the line of what you did. Good records will help make this as painless as possible.

Know the End Game
Ask for a date when the problem should be resolved. This will help keep the bank focused on solving your problem in a timely way.

Dodge Bounced Check Fees
If the mistake is an under deposit (you end up with less money than you thought), you should ask the bank to cover any fees that may occur because of the shortage of funds. The bank should cover fees to fix the problem and any others that occur because the correct amount of funds was not in the account

» Read the rest of the entry - 10 Things Everyone Should Know About Bank Errors