Stealing Your Life by Frank W. Abagnale Summary
Overview of Stealing Your Life
In "Stealing Your Life," former con artist Frank Abagnale reveals how identity theft claims a new victim every four seconds. This heart-pounding guide - praised by Inc. as unparalleled expertise - offers 20 crucial steps to protect yourself from America's fastest-growing crime.
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Key takeaways
When a Name Becomes a Weapon
Your Social Security number is worth more on the black market than your car. With just nine digits, a birth date, and your full name, a stranger can buy a house, commit crimes, or destroy your financial future - all while you sleep soundly, unaware your life is being stolen. This isn't science fiction. It's the daily reality of a crime that strikes someone new every four seconds in America. Unlike burglary, which affects 2.6% of Americans annually, identity theft hits 4.3% - and those are just the reported cases. The crime has surpassed drug trafficking in profitability while carrying almost no risk of serious punishment. A thief has a one-in-seven-hundred chance of being caught, and even then, rarely sees prison time. Meanwhile, victims spend an average of 600 hours and thousands of dollars trying to reclaim their own names. What makes identity theft the perfect crime? It's devastatingly simple, enormously profitable, and virtually risk-free. A laptop and phone are the only tools required - no masks, no weapons, no confrontation.
The Perfect Crime: Economics and Evolution of Identity Theft
Your Life in Plain Sight: How Information Becomes Ammunition
The Faces Behind the Crime: From Grandmothers to Global Networks
Beyond the Credit Card: The Full Spectrum of Destruction
Building Your Defense and Responding to Attack
Reclaiming What's Yours in a World Built on Trust
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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