After discovering her own mother had stolen hers and her father's identities for years, Axton made understanding the nuances of identity theft her life's work. "This memoir has all the suspense and twists of a thriller even as readers begin to suspect the truth, it still shocks.highly recommended."- BooklistĪbout the Author Axton Betz-Hamilton is an expert in identity theft, having personal experience that she's now turned into a career. Astonishing and disturbing, this emotionally resonant book is perfect for true crime fans."- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The air of menace is palpable.A deeply compelling story of a crime that hit close to home."- NPR "Reads like a grim folk tale.intimate and engrossing."- The New York Times "Betz-Hamilton expertly blends true crime and memoir in this tale of family, lies, and identity.a brave, candid examination of her painful past a poignant and fascinating exploration of identity theft." Betz-Hamilton writes with candor and grace about both her relationship with her mother/perpetrator, and the long term effect victimization has had on her life."- EvaCasey Velasquez, president/CEO of Identity Theft Resource Center One of the primary challenges for those of us advocating for more rights and resources for identity theft victims is their reluctance to share their experience. "Axton Betz-Hamilton's story is remarkable. "- Carolyn Murnick, author of The Hot One Axton Betz-Hamilton mines the most essential of life's questions: can we ever really know the people we love? The Less People Know About Us is an unflinching portrait of grit and determination in the wake of a fractured childhood and complicated grief. "A brave, rueful memoir of fear and heartbreak in rural America. The stunning revelations will keep you looking over your shoulder for a long time and even more troubling.at the ones you think you know the best!"- Nancy Grace, legal commentator, broadcast journalist, and New York Times bestselling author of The Eleventh Victim In a gut-wrenching portrayal of victimization starting at age 11, Axton Betz-Hamilton shows that's simply not true. "'Identity theft' sounds like something that happens far, far away and only to other people.certainly not within a seemingly picture-perfect family in the rural U.S. Axton will present a candid, shocking, and redemptive story and reveal her courageous effort to grapple with someone close that broke the unwritten rules of love, protection, and family. The Less People Know About Us is Axton's attempt to untangle an intricate web of lies, and to understand why and how a loved one could have inflicted such pain. Years later, her parents' marriage still shaken from the theft, Axton discovered that she, too, had fallen prey to the identity thief, but by the time she realized, she was already thousands of dollars in debt and her credit was ruined. She began starving herself at a young age in an effort to blend in-her appearance could be nothing short of perfect or she would be scolded by her mother, who had become paranoid and consumed by how others perceived the family. As a result, Axton spent her formative years crippled by anxiety, quarantined behind the closed curtains in her childhood home. Axton learned not to let anyone into the house without explicit permission, and once went as far as chasing a plumber off their property with a knife. Convinced that the thief had to be someone they knew, Axton and her parents completely cut off the outside world, isolating themselves from friends and family. Axton's family changed all of their personal information and moved to different addresses, but the identity thief followed them wherever they went. This was before the age of the Internet, when identity theft became more commonplace, so authorities and banks were clueless and reluctant to help Axton's parents. Their credit ratings were ruined, and they were constantly fighting over money. When she was 11 years old, her parents both had their identities stolen. Axton Betz-Hamilton grew up in small-town Indiana in the early '90s. Convinced that the thief had to be someone they knew, Axton and her parents completely cut off the outside world, isolating themselves from friends and family.īook Synopsis AN EDGAR AWARDS 2020 WINNER AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER In this powerful true crime memoir, an award-winning identity theft expert tells the shocking story of the duplicity and betrayal that inspired her career and nearly destroyed her family. About the Book In a powerful memoir, identity theft expert Betz-Hamilton tells the shocking and unsettling story of her family, betrayal, and deceit.
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