You should become familiar with your state’s identity theft prevention, protection and recovery resources.

A few weeks ago, I posted information regarding the State of Florida's on line “victim kit,” which is designed to help victims of identity theft get through the sometimes difficult process of resolving their case. I suspected that other states have similar resources – and – with a little on line “digging,”  governmental authority victims should contact for assistance and information in addition to the local police department. Many of attorney's general have websites and on line information similar to that posted by Bill McCollum's office in Florida.

The following web site contains a list of  information available for each of the fifty states plus American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

http://www.identitytheft.info/state.aspx

Even if you have not become a victim of identity theft, becoming familiar with your state’s available resources is a good idea. In addition to the state web pages, the Federal Trade Commission has also posted information on line to help consumers figure out what to do in the event that they become an unfortunate victim of this crime. The FTC web site, located at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idthef/, provides detailed information to help you defend yourself and your family against identity theft.