Most people are aware of the need to protect themselves from identity theft, but there are some who remain vulnerable despite precautions—fictional characters. Statistics show identity theft against fictional characters has doubled since 2018. Criminals are filling out credit card applications and loan paperwork in the names of well-known characters and ruining their credit in the process.

“These victims are extremely vulnerable,” says Al Ias of the Federal Trade Commission. “We tell people to guard their privacy, but their lives are an open book. It makes them easy prey.”

Easy prey is not how Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy likes to be described. In 2019, fraudsters purchased three tons of pineapples on credit using his name. According to local townspeople, Mr. Darcy’s mother-in-law had bragged far and wide about his £10,000 a year income, making him an alluring target for thieves who used his information on a Bank of Derbyshire Credit Card Application.

This happened one year after Mr. Jay Gatsby was targeted. Relying on his stellar financial reputation, crooks were able to open a medical account in his name and purchase thousands of pairs of eyeglasses from Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. In both cases, thieves made off with millions in fraudulent, fictional dollars and pounds.

Does it really matter to these fictional characters that others are getting rich on their good names? Yes, it does.

“We can’t have our heroes hampered by bad credit,” says Regina Jennings, author of Courting Misfortune. “Identity theft devastates a person’s financial reputation and hurts their romantic prospects. Their property might be fictional, but it’s the only property they have.”

So what can be done to protect fictional characters? Mainly, guard their private information. Authors should carefully consider before sharing too much of their background. The public doesn’t need to know their mother’s maiden name or their birthplace. Also, specifics on birth dates should be avoided. An innocent party scene can be used by fraudsters to determine their birth date and give criminals another tool with which to defraud them. Even pets’ names should be used sparingly. Consider giving fictional characters a fictional, fictional dog instead of sharing their real fictional dog’s name.

While it might take some time and forethought to safeguard our fictional friends, we owe it to them. There can be serious consequences for victims of identity theft, from being included in a criminal investigation, to losing a tax rebate, to finding one’s credit ruined. They, like everyone else, deserve justice and protection. They trust us with their stories. Let’s not leave them defenseless.

The post Identity Theft Finds New Victims appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

<<<DRUMROLL>>>

A Most Inconvenient Marriage was selected by the National Readers’ Choice judges as the Best Inspirational Novel of 2014!

Wo0-hoo! So thanks to those sweet judges, thanks to you readers who bought enough books that I could keep writing ’til I reached this point, and thanks to my family for doing crazy stuff that I can work into my stories!

I appreciate y’all!

Sincerely,

(Award-winning author)

Regina Jennings 😉

The post An Announcement appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

Don’t forget there’s still time to enter the Texas Cowgirl Drawing.

Here’s the link: Texas Cowgirl Prize Package.

God bless!

-Regina

The post Out of the Ruins winner… appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

Thank you all for coming to our Book Banter party! You had some great questions and they are still up on the Bethany House Facebook Page if you missed them the first time.

And please mark your calendars for April 4th! That’s another big bash where we’ll announce the winner of the KINDLE FIRE among other things. Click on the link on the left-hand side for more info.

So, let’s announce our lucky winners of copies of Love in the Balance!

They are:

Candice Brooks Patterson

Sara Ella

Heather Louise Navarro

April Moser

Joelle Strandquist

Michelle Corning

**If you are a winner, please email Noelle your mailing address. Her email is noelle.buss@bethanyhouse.com.

Thanks again for visiting and please tell your friends about Love in the Balance!

Love,

Regina

The post Book Banter Winners!!! appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.

March 25th – Suzanne Woods Fisher – Author Spotlight

March 21st – Relz Reviewz – Molly & Bailey: Character Spotlight

March 13th – Tag(g)lines – Quirky Q & A

March 8th – Seekerville – “Courage”

March 6th – Crafty Booksheep – Interview

The post Guest Blogs appeared first on Author Regina Jennings.