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This Can't Be Happening Collection #2
Identity Thief
Who would want to steal the identity of a minimum-wage employee at a children’s museum? In this harrowing real-life detective story, a woman searches for the truth, clue after startling clue.
Rachel hit the jackpot with her doting fiancé, Zach, who was starting a promising new political career at the Massachusetts State House. Then came money problems—Rachel’s was mysteriously disappearing, bank account by new bank account. She and Zach, her only lifeline, decided to play amateur sleuths. And they had to act fast. Because Rachel’s crippling paranoia was growing. She was losing more than money. She was starting to lose herself.
Rachel Rosenthal’s Identity Thief is part of This Can’t Be Happening, a collection of four true stories about making the best of a worst-case scenario curated by Kevin Allison, creator of the hit true storytelling podcast RISK! Outrageous, alarming, triumphant, and sometimes embarrassing, these fearless confessionals can be read, or listened to, in one what-on-earth-would-I-do? sitting.
Rachel hit the jackpot with her doting fiancé, Zach, who was starting a promising new political career at the Massachusetts State House. Then came money problems—Rachel’s was mysteriously disappearing, bank account by new bank account. She and Zach, her only lifeline, decided to play amateur sleuths. And they had to act fast. Because Rachel’s crippling paranoia was growing. She was losing more than money. She was starting to lose herself.
Rachel Rosenthal’s Identity Thief is part of This Can’t Be Happening, a collection of four true stories about making the best of a worst-case scenario curated by Kevin Allison, creator of the hit true storytelling podcast RISK! Outrageous, alarming, triumphant, and sometimes embarrassing, these fearless confessionals can be read, or listened to, in one what-on-earth-would-I-do? sitting.
26 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 2018
1047 people are currently reading
621 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
January 12, 2022
A cautionary tale that makes you wonder about a person's identity. How vulnerable and how one can easily become a target. A shocking true story.
This is a short memoir, 26 pages/1hour audio available on Kindle Unlimited/Prime. Definitely worth a read.
This is a short memoir, 26 pages/1hour audio available on Kindle Unlimited/Prime. Definitely worth a read.
January 19, 2023
Holy Cow, this was some crazy truth.
I wanted to listen to something short while I was driving, this did the trick perfectly. It truly is a one sit listen.
The story is written well, narrated well and totally sucks you in. It’s amazing what people are capable of that totally destroy your faith in relationships.
Looking for a short listen or read that will captivate you and make your jaw drop? This did it for me.
I wanted to listen to something short while I was driving, this did the trick perfectly. It truly is a one sit listen.
The story is written well, narrated well and totally sucks you in. It’s amazing what people are capable of that totally destroy your faith in relationships.
Looking for a short listen or read that will captivate you and make your jaw drop? This did it for me.
December 20, 2021
These audible freebees that are perfect for those times you want just a short story. GR friend Lisa brought “Identity Thief” to my attention. It’s written and performed by Rachel Rosenthal. It’s her story, so she narrates; sadly, she hasn’t been blessed with a magnificent voice.
Adulting is difficult for many. This is a sad story of a young woman whose identity was stolen, wreaking havoc on her credit rating. As she needs to constantly monitor her credit, she begins a relationship with a guy named Zach, to whom she eventually becomes engaged. Thank God for Zach. He’s her rock as she suffers through financial trauma. He’s got a successful political career and is willing to support her as she attempts to clear her name and credit. Yet, as time goes by, things become even more dicey.
This is a sad story. It’s part of the “This Can’t Be Happening Collection”. This could have happened to my daughter or any young trusting person. Can you say nightmare???
Adulting is difficult for many. This is a sad story of a young woman whose identity was stolen, wreaking havoc on her credit rating. As she needs to constantly monitor her credit, she begins a relationship with a guy named Zach, to whom she eventually becomes engaged. Thank God for Zach. He’s her rock as she suffers through financial trauma. He’s got a successful political career and is willing to support her as she attempts to clear her name and credit. Yet, as time goes by, things become even more dicey.
This is a sad story. It’s part of the “This Can’t Be Happening Collection”. This could have happened to my daughter or any young trusting person. Can you say nightmare???
September 28, 2020
Rachel Rosenthal shares a personal and painful story in the the Amazon This Can’t Be Happening Collection.
We watch uncomfortably as a warm, chatty, outgoing, youth matures into a warm, chatty, outgoing, young woman – until her best friend from college, Jack Schwartz, woos her and takes over her life. It is unclear to me whether he intended to do Rachel harm or whether he had no control over his actions (I know little of real mental health issues), and I don’t want to divulge more of this story because it should be read and not summarized. Rachel confronts issues such as what is love, what is friendship, what is loyalty, what it means to be independent, when to share her crisis and ask for help, and much more.
This was a painful read for the most part, until Rachel took back control of her life.
This story is available on Kindle Unlimited.
We watch uncomfortably as a warm, chatty, outgoing, youth matures into a warm, chatty, outgoing, young woman – until her best friend from college, Jack Schwartz, woos her and takes over her life. It is unclear to me whether he intended to do Rachel harm or whether he had no control over his actions (I know little of real mental health issues), and I don’t want to divulge more of this story because it should be read and not summarized. Rachel confronts issues such as what is love, what is friendship, what is loyalty, what it means to be independent, when to share her crisis and ask for help, and much more.
This was a painful read for the most part, until Rachel took back control of her life.
This story is available on Kindle Unlimited.
January 4, 2019
The This Can't Be Happening Collection from Audible/Amazon Originals gathers four stories about people getting through their worst personal moments with strength and determination. Identity Thief is the second story I have read in this collection. While I loved the story and was totally engaged from start to finish, it was difficult to get through. It broke my heart to hear about a young woman going through so much stress and hardship. In her early 20's, Rachel was the victim of identity theft and fraud. There were multiple unexplained charges and withdrawals on her bank accounts, mysterious calls from creditors, and checks disappearing from her apartment. When she discovered the truth about the situation, it almost destroyed her. Lovely story about a talented, strong, awesome woman.....but heart-breaking as well.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. At just over an hour, it's a quick, easy listen. Rachel Rosenthal reads her own story, so the emotion behind her performance is real. I have partial hearing loss, but was easily able to hear and understand the entire audio book.
Rosenthal is a comedian and improv performance artist. I've never seen her perform, but would love to experience her comedy now that I've heard about one of the darkest events in her life. All in all, a great story of a woman developing her own sense of self through determination and strength.
I'm enjoying this story collection so far. I'm definitely going to listen to the other two stories in this collection. Amazon Originals are a hit & miss thing for me sometimes....but this collection seems to be one I can dig into and enjoy.
On to the next! :) This is a great set of stories to listen to as I clean up/re-organize my house now that the holiday season is over and the new year has started. :)
I listened to the audio book version of this story. At just over an hour, it's a quick, easy listen. Rachel Rosenthal reads her own story, so the emotion behind her performance is real. I have partial hearing loss, but was easily able to hear and understand the entire audio book.
Rosenthal is a comedian and improv performance artist. I've never seen her perform, but would love to experience her comedy now that I've heard about one of the darkest events in her life. All in all, a great story of a woman developing her own sense of self through determination and strength.
I'm enjoying this story collection so far. I'm definitely going to listen to the other two stories in this collection. Amazon Originals are a hit & miss thing for me sometimes....but this collection seems to be one I can dig into and enjoy.
On to the next! :) This is a great set of stories to listen to as I clean up/re-organize my house now that the holiday season is over and the new year has started. :)
October 30, 2019
Audible original ‘true’ - ‘short’ story. $1.99...
read by the author,
Rachel Rosenthal.
A relationship develops between Rachel and Zack. He’s Jewish - She’s Jewish ...
It’s a match made in heaven. Families approve.
They’re engaged to marry.
However, this is a cautionary tale.....
The things I’m not sharing - [spoiler free]....are unbelievable. You can’t make this stuff up!!!
Fascinating $2 entertainment....
but horrifying to think this was all true!
read by the author,
Rachel Rosenthal.
A relationship develops between Rachel and Zack. He’s Jewish - She’s Jewish ...
It’s a match made in heaven. Families approve.
They’re engaged to marry.
However, this is a cautionary tale.....
The things I’m not sharing - [spoiler free]....are unbelievable. You can’t make this stuff up!!!
Fascinating $2 entertainment....
but horrifying to think this was all true!
January 8, 2019
Rachel Rosenthal reveals a painful and intensely personal period of her life in this narrative, one of four short stories in This Can’t Be Happening, a collection of Amazon Original Stories.
In her childhood, Rosenthal was a chatty, friendly kid with a great family and a bright future. Her evolving relationship with friend, then partner, Zach, defines her move from teenager to adulthood—a journey fraught with identify fraud, poverty and under-employment. When the truth of her life is finally exposed, the results are cataclysmic and force Rosenthal to re-examine all she thought she knew.
Well written and emotional, Rosenthal reaches deep to share something many would have kept buried. Worth the read!
In her childhood, Rosenthal was a chatty, friendly kid with a great family and a bright future. Her evolving relationship with friend, then partner, Zach, defines her move from teenager to adulthood—a journey fraught with identify fraud, poverty and under-employment. When the truth of her life is finally exposed, the results are cataclysmic and force Rosenthal to re-examine all she thought she knew.
Well written and emotional, Rosenthal reaches deep to share something many would have kept buried. Worth the read!
January 24, 2022
According to Rachel's Grandma, Zach is a solid guy. He not only loves Rachel, but he adores her, what more could she possibly want - her identity it turns out.
I understood this story on a very personal level. You can give years of your life to a person and look back and see how manufactured it was.
Sadly, stories like this are all too real.
This title is part of the This Can't Be Happening collection available on Kindle Unlimited, a collection of four true stories about making the best of a worst-case scenario.
I understood this story on a very personal level. You can give years of your life to a person and look back and see how manufactured it was.
Sadly, stories like this are all too real.
This title is part of the This Can't Be Happening collection available on Kindle Unlimited, a collection of four true stories about making the best of a worst-case scenario.
December 12, 2021
(3.5) An involving short story that wasn't as predictable as it initially seemed. Perfect for an hour interlude. (A free Prime audio)
December 6, 2024
Real Life Horror
Rachel was a comedian, but would do jobs that she didn’t like to make ends meet. Her best friend Zach supported her in every way and with everything. He fell in love with Rachel, but she wasn’t feeling it until she went away to experience Israel. When she came back, Zach had done a makeover and went to work on wooing her.
While they were both working on careers, one night when they were out on the town and a guy bumped into Rachel and her wallet vanished. The police expected to find her wallet devoid of cash, but that didn’t happen. Before long the first sign of a long string of trouble was that fraudulent transactions emptied and overdrew her account.
This is a horrifying true story of one woman’s struggle to take back her life. Five stars.
Rachel was a comedian, but would do jobs that she didn’t like to make ends meet. Her best friend Zach supported her in every way and with everything. He fell in love with Rachel, but she wasn’t feeling it until she went away to experience Israel. When she came back, Zach had done a makeover and went to work on wooing her.
While they were both working on careers, one night when they were out on the town and a guy bumped into Rachel and her wallet vanished. The police expected to find her wallet devoid of cash, but that didn’t happen. Before long the first sign of a long string of trouble was that fraudulent transactions emptied and overdrew her account.
This is a horrifying true story of one woman’s struggle to take back her life. Five stars.
January 26, 2019
Just wow, my mind is completely blown and I have worked in mental health for most of my adult life and have heard some WILD stories.
October 8, 2024
Entertaining relationship listening 🎶🎎🐕🏙
This kindle novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book two of four
She has a boyfriend who has issues. She tries to deal with these issues but it doesn't work.
I would recommend this series and various authors to readers of life relationships novels 😎🎉😃👒
This kindle novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book two of four
She has a boyfriend who has issues. She tries to deal with these issues but it doesn't work.
I would recommend this series and various authors to readers of life relationships novels 😎🎉😃👒
May 6, 2019
'Identity Thief' by Rachel Rosenthal is an incredible true story of betrayal and madness! It is a story almost beyond belief, but I believe it. The strange pathways that human decisions take us down are as numerous as the stars in the universe...
Rosenthal met Zach Schwartz in college. She really liked him, but only as a good friend. They shared a lot of commonalities, such as their Jewish faith. Over time, after college graduation and later, as a person eager to begin her life as an independent adult in a new city, Boston, she gradually was convinced by his sweet goodness and support to deepen her relationship with Zach. Because of his giving nature and obvious love of her, she slowly grew to love him as he loved her. Eventually, they became engaged after seven years of knowing each other and living together. Her parents were ecstatic!
However, she was troubled by some unknown person who had ruined her credit. Years before, she had had her wallet stolen. This mysterious thief seemed to always somehow steal money from every bank account she had, even brand new accounts opened years later! Why was this happening? Rosenthal became chronically paranoid and afraid. Throughout this craziness, Zach always supported her, making phone calls, paid her bills.
Then, one day, Rosenthal answered her phone before Zach did. This is when things really went insane...
'Identity Thief' is an awesome tale! I highly recommend it.
Rosenthal met Zach Schwartz in college. She really liked him, but only as a good friend. They shared a lot of commonalities, such as their Jewish faith. Over time, after college graduation and later, as a person eager to begin her life as an independent adult in a new city, Boston, she gradually was convinced by his sweet goodness and support to deepen her relationship with Zach. Because of his giving nature and obvious love of her, she slowly grew to love him as he loved her. Eventually, they became engaged after seven years of knowing each other and living together. Her parents were ecstatic!
However, she was troubled by some unknown person who had ruined her credit. Years before, she had had her wallet stolen. This mysterious thief seemed to always somehow steal money from every bank account she had, even brand new accounts opened years later! Why was this happening? Rosenthal became chronically paranoid and afraid. Throughout this craziness, Zach always supported her, making phone calls, paid her bills.
Then, one day, Rosenthal answered her phone before Zach did. This is when things really went insane...
'Identity Thief' is an awesome tale! I highly recommend it.
April 8, 2019
This is a book in the This Can't Be Happening collection from Kindle Unlimited. I read Two Henrys about a month ago. This is a horrifying situation that no one wants to be in, made even more horrifying by the fact that it was personal. It's a quick read, about 30 pages, but it was years of Rachel's life. Harrowing!
January 6, 2019
Meh!
Knowing that the author is a comedian, I was looking forward to a more comedic read. This was very short & very predictable. It impressed me as a college or high school writing assignment. Thank goodness it was free with my Prime membership. I would be really upset to pay for it.
Knowing that the author is a comedian, I was looking forward to a more comedic read. This was very short & very predictable. It impressed me as a college or high school writing assignment. Thank goodness it was free with my Prime membership. I would be really upset to pay for it.
January 17, 2019
One of the craziest stories I have ever read. Jaw-dropping stuff.
December 3, 2022
An entertaining, but quite shocking, short story, which again proves that true stories can be even stranger than fiction!
June 15, 2021
This is a teeny short audible original, and once again, I hate that Goodreads is going to give me credit for it. It runs an hour and 2 minutes long. I knew I was going to run a 5K on Sunday, and I knew that would take me around 48 minutes to do. So I picked it out. 14 minutes left over. I loved it. Loved the familiar Jewish references, and the familiar Boston ones. But more importantly, I found it a very compelling storyline. Like you could completely see it. It felt real and true to me. I felt like I was listening to a true story, and wondered if it was. I thought it was well done.
August 15, 2021
Sad story of a relationship with one sided lies that show themselves too late. But Zack was a pro at hiding all of them, showing no signs to anyone he lost his identity.
I recognize lies come from many different insecurities piled on top of each other. Ignoring this issue
festers the problem until it becomes a type of mental illness.
I recognize lies come from many different insecurities piled on top of each other. Ignoring this issue
festers the problem until it becomes a type of mental illness.
January 15, 2019
WOW! Short but powerful, this tale is engrossing, realistic, moving and entertaining. A surprising story and definitely worth reading for everyone.
February 15, 2019
Wow, a really engaging read about how you might not actually know your loved ones as well as you think you do.
March 3, 2022
A shocking story about identity thief.... wonderful writting!
December 4, 2022
I saw this on Audible, and given the length picked it up. I'm glad I did. There is profanity.
The person closest to you may be the one hurting you. The author shares her horrific story, and points out the how it happened if you listen.
Best tip: if you don't want evicted pay your own rent.
The person closest to you may be the one hurting you. The author shares her horrific story, and points out the how it happened if you listen.
Best tip: if you don't want evicted pay your own rent.
January 10, 2019
This is a short story from the This Can't Be Happening Collection. It was an entertaining and quick read. Trying to figure out who has stolen your identity and things that keep happening would be horrifying to me. I've had things bought on my debit card three times (which was changed each time) and that was bad enough. But what the author went through would really have a person paranoid worrying about it. It makes you really question why people do what they do!
February 26, 2019
A shocking narrative about losing and then re-discovering identity, trust and love. Part of Amazon's This Can't Be Happening series.
November 27, 2019
Based on true events. Makes you wonder about that next wonderful and perfect date.
August 22, 2024
Mind = blown
Short read very worth the time, IMO
Short read very worth the time, IMO
January 31, 2019
This Kindle Single tells a true story about a young girl who has her identity stolen just as she graduates college and it trying to navigate adulthood as well as her intensifying relationship. When I was a few pages into the book I wasn't sure I would be able to keep on with it because it was hard to tell where it was going and I was a bit bored. However once you get about halfway in it really picks up and the story becomes very intriguing. It was interesting overall but I felt it ended without clearing up a few things that were pivotal to the story.
January 20, 2019
This. Is. Crazy.
There’s a moment where you reject the predicted outcome... but you don’t quite forget.
And the author builds it in such a way that that idea haunts you, until you know it’s inevitable.
It’s crazy that this could happen to anyone, but it could.
There’s a moment where you reject the predicted outcome... but you don’t quite forget.
And the author builds it in such a way that that idea haunts you, until you know it’s inevitable.
It’s crazy that this could happen to anyone, but it could.
January 15, 2019
Identity Thief
I Picked Up This Book Because: Exploring Kindle Unlimited audio library
The Story:
A) Rachel is an amazing angel. Really before she discovered the breadth and width of the decet in her life she was still willing to work with him. To support and love him.
2. WHAT THE HELL. Her whole life was a lie. I see so clearly how she wondered down that hall and that she managed to recover from that is amazing.
Furthermore: I am stunned. SHOCKED. Yet I know my shock is nowhere near as deep as her own. I am glad to hear at the end that she has healed, that she is living a good life now, and that she was able to trust/love again.
The Random Thoughts:
I am really enjoying these little Original Shorts from Amazon. I hope they publish more of them in the future.
4 Stars
I Picked Up This Book Because: Exploring Kindle Unlimited audio library
The Story:
A) Rachel is an amazing angel. Really before she discovered the breadth and width of the decet in her life she was still willing to work with him. To support and love him.
2. WHAT THE HELL. Her whole life was a lie. I see so clearly how she wondered down that hall and that she managed to recover from that is amazing.
Furthermore: I am stunned. SHOCKED. Yet I know my shock is nowhere near as deep as her own. I am glad to hear at the end that she has healed, that she is living a good life now, and that she was able to trust/love again.
The Random Thoughts:
I am really enjoying these little Original Shorts from Amazon. I hope they publish more of them in the future.
4 Stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews