This book has been a long time in the making—and even longer in the talking about. To the many friends and family along the way who encouraged me to “write a book,” I am so very grateful. And to my dear, late friend Judy who said a few months before she passed, “Write the damn thing already!” I did it!
Jim Levine of the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency provided crucial guidance when I most needed it. His clear-eyed presence in the creative process kept the project on track and on message. Needless to say without him, we wouldn’t have gotten here.
PublicAffairs was the clear choice for me after we met with Publisher Clive Priddle, Lisa Kauffman, Lindsay Fradkoff, Jaime Leifer, and of course my editor Benjamin Adams, whose acumen, wit, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit are in evidence throughout this book. Ben provided timely suggestions, and was an excellent guide, never shy about saying when I needed to ease up and stop scaring readers to death and when I needed to scare them even more. He was an invaluable asset in the process of getting this book finished, and it would be a different project had he not been a part of it.
None of our work would have mattered were it not for the dauntless and relentless efforts of the whole team at PublicAffairs. Many thanks in particular to Chris Juby and Debbie Masi.
When it came to making sure no one in America slept without becoming first aware of this book, the honor falls to Miss Lelani Clark, my fearless publicity director, co-conspirator and trusted colleague. She was already promoting Swiped before the ink was dry on our contract. Thanks also to Travis Taylor.
Special thanks to Virginia Long, former Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and my mentor and predecessor at the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs who brought me into the world of consumer protection, believed in me, and put me on the fascinating and winding path that has culminated with the writing of this book.
To my writing partner, collaborator, friend, conscience, pseudo-shrink, confidante, sounding board, future radio side-kick, brand strategist, and fellow neurotic, Beau Friedlander, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your indomitable spirit, your tireless work, and for incessantly hammering me on a daily basis to buckle down and just do it! Actually IRLY (you know what I am talking about).
To my colleagues at Credit.com (in particular Ian Cohen, Michael Schreiber, Kali Geldis, and Melissa Heltzel), who make sure that my articles are published and edited every week on a huge content distribution network, and the wonderful people at IDT911 (Matt Cullina, Sean Daly, Brian Chertok, Scott Frazee, and Debbie Sutherland), many thanks. A special shout-out to Brian Huntley, who helped me figure out the Three Ms for enterprise; Eduard Goodman, who has always been there to answer any legal question I had; and Deena Coffman who enthusiastically and promptly responded to urgent emails while I was in the heat of composition.
A special thanks to everyone at the IDT911 Resolution Center who do so much to help people and have provided scores of heartwrenching stories for us to share here and in our articles every week. Victor Searcy, Vickie Volkert, and Brett Montgomery, thank you so much for helping to make sure this book accurately recounted everything we do.
My thanks to Eva Casey Velasquez of the Identity Theft Resource Center, who provided invaluable interviews and also gave me permission to use the ITRC’s list of common scams, which are found in Appendix 2 (and indicated with a parenthetical credit). The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation is proud to be a major sponsor of all the good works done by the ITRC.
Thanks to Ann Cavoukian, former Information and Privacy Commissioner for Ontario and now Executive Director of the Privacy and Big Data Institute at Ryerson University, Pam Dixon of the World Privacy Forum, Beth Givens of the Privacy Rights Clearing House, Joanne McNabb of the California Office of the Attorney General, Larry Ponemon of the Ponemon Institute, and Susan Grant of the Consumer Federation of America—whom we either quote or cite—for their assistance and inspiration.
My thanks to my friends and colleagues Bob Sullivan, Herb Weisbaum, Byron Acohido, Gerri Detweiler, Christine DiGangi, and Brian Krebs for their support and/or inspiration over the years.
Thanks to David Fisher who helped create the historical section, my pal Joe (he prefers to be referenced as “Machiavelli”), who not only helped convince me that it was time to write, but introduced me to Beau and my wife. And thanks to Tony and Harris, who had told me for years I should write the Cybergeddon book that (although within the realm of possibility) would have mentally scarred my readers for decades.
Finally, endless gratitude and appreciation go to the loves of my life, Heather and Jayger Wilde. Without them, this book would not exist, and quite possibly neither would I. I cannot thank you both enough for completely understanding, supporting, and loving me through those many nights and weekends I spent camped out in my office; the countless (and seemingly endless) hours I lived on the phone with Beau; and most of all, for giving me encouragement when my creative juices turned to dust. I will always love you.
I would love to name everyone with whom I have ever worked, but this is not the Academy Awards and I don’t want to be played off the stage.
P.S. One final word of appreciation to Adam Levine: I can’t begin to count the number media gigs (and tables at really good restaurants) I booked because people thought I was you. You can imagine their disappointment when I actually showed up.