HELPING TO PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT

 HARRISBURG, OCT. 20 – Identity theft, or the crime of stealing someone’s personal information, can impact anyone. Wednesday, state Sen. Connie Williams cast a vote to fight identity theft and to safeguard personal information.

 The Senate overwhelmingly supported the passage of legislation (S.B. 601) that would criminalize the act of making public a person’s Social Security number.

 “Our Social Security number identifies us on government and financial documents,” Williams said. “When you apply for a driver’s license or a hunting license, college financial aid , a home mortgage or a credit card, your Social Security number is required. The nine-digit sequence is the gateway to accessing a financial snapshot of each individual. In the correct hands, it is a good system, but in a criminal’s hands, a Social Security number can open the door to gaining access to our identity.”

 In an effort to protect the privacy of Social Security numbers, Williams co-sponsored legislation that would ensure that the government and businesses can not publicly post or display Social Security numbers, including printing the numbers on any card required to access products or services.

 Under the bill, Social Security numbers could not be used to access Internet Web sites unless a password or personal identification number (PIN) is used. Additionally, it would allow transmission of Social Security numbers only if an Internet site is secured and the number is encrypted or coded to protect an individual’s personal information. Finally, Social Security numbers could not be printed on any materials that are mailed unless federal or state law requires the number be on the document to be mailed.

 “As the state works to close loopholes that make it easier for criminals to commit identity theft, it is important for people to take an active role in protecting their credit by checking with the nationwide credit agencies,” Williams said. “As of September, the three major agencies are providing consumers one free copy of their credit report every 12 months. Identity theft can go unnoticed for months and the damage can take years to fix. The earlier you catch the crime, the sooner you will be able to restore your name and your good credit.”

 The three major reporting agencies are:

 People who learn that they are victim of identity theft may contact Williams’ offices for information on how to get started on the road to repairing their credit. Williams’ offices can be reached in King of Prussia at 610-992-9790 or in Havertown at 610-853-5433.