This non-profit organization is dedicated to "helping people prevent and recover from identity theft." It has been an excellent resource in researching this article. Here are a few highlights:
An exhaustive list of of tips (46 of them), resources and background information on identity theft. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is a non-profit consumer information and advocacy organization.
Tip #12 in the guide gives this advice on credit monitoring: "We do not endorse credit monitoring services because we believe that individuals should not have to pay a fee to track their credit..."
This is the Federal Trade Commission's site to
educate consumers about identity theft and provides
useful first steps to take if you become a victim.