INTERNET COMPUTER PROTECTION MEASURE ADVANCES

HARRISBURG, JUNE 21 – State Sen. Connie Williams on Tuesday voted for legislation that would aid in the battle against identity theft by making it illegal to go phishing in Pennsylvania.

Phishing is a crime in which people use e-mail to falsely claim to be an established enterprise in an effort to lure people to a Web site to collect personal data, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, or passwords. Often the Web site that people are lured to resembles established Internet enterprises, such as eBay.

“This is important consumer legislation that will protect people who use the Internet and e-mail from becoming victims of identity theft and it will severely penalize the criminals involved in phishing,” Williams said. “Internet usage is now as common as having a telephone line in your house or a cellular phone. Many, many people use the Internet to make purchases, which requires them to send their credit card information. While most legitimate companies have built in protections to ensure credit information isn’t stolen – if you’ve ever noticed the http in the Web address becomes https after you enter your credit information on a secure site – other individuals and organizations have seen this new technology as an easy way to steal valuable personal information.”

The legislation (S.B. 1036) that Williams co-sponsored and helped to shepherd through the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, which she chairs, would make it a felony offense to phish personal information and would carry a fine of $100,000 for each violation, along with the ability to collect damages up to three times the actual amount (if the court so rules), as well as attorney fees.

“Strong laws and stiff penalties may make phishing less attractive to criminals,” Williams said. “It will send a message that we will not put up with this type of fraudulent activity in Pennsylvania. If you’re caught, you will pay dearly.”

The legislation, which unanimously passed the Senate, now goes to the House of Representatives for its consideration.