Mission:
To research, analyze, and distribute information about the growing crime of identity theft.

Background:
Linda Foley became a victim of identity theft in 1997 when someone she worked for, who had become a friend, used her social security number to apply for a cell phone and several credit cards. The experience, and the ensuing legal snafus, prompted Foley and her husband, Jay, to found the Identity Theft Resource Center in December 1999. The organization helps victims of identity theft at no charge; works with companies, governmental agencies, law enforcement officers, legislators, and consumers to battle the crime; and is building a support system of volunteers across the country.

Outstanding Web Features:
The ITRC Web site represents a lifeline for anyone who becomes an identity-theft victim. The resources for victims section supplies essential information, especially on initial actions to take and how to organize a case. Thirty guides, all available online, deal with everything from lost and stolen wallets or Palm Pilots, to check fraud, to child identity theft, to identity theft and the deceased. The consumer resources section of the site details the types of identity theft, provides a test to gauge one's risk for this crime, describes workplace identity theft, and offers information in Spanish. The scam alerts provide a heads-up for everyone.