A NEW LAYER OF IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ADVANCES

 HARRISBURG, DEC. 14 – The sooner a consumer learns that they have become a victim of identity theft, the sooner they can begin to repair the damage, state Sen. Connie Williams said following Tuesday’s vote on legislation that would require companies, organizations and government entities to tell consumers if security has been breached and personal information stolen.

 “Anyone can become a victim of identity theft,” Williams said. “As we continue to look for new ways to prevent identity theft and help people recover from this crime, it is important that we also ensure that consumers are informed as quickly as possible that their personal information has been obtained. It can take years to fix the damage caused by identity theft, but if it is caught early, the damage may not be as extensive.”

 Senate members voted to advance legislation (S.B. 712) that would require companies, organizations and government entities that own or store personal data to tell customers if their personal information has been stolen. The bill, which passed the House last week, now goes to the governor. Williams co-sponsored the bill.

 “The best defense against identity theft is to closely track your own credit history by requesting a copy of your credit report. If you see things on the report that are questionable, follow-up right away,” Williams said. “Each of the three credit reporting agencies are now required to provide one free copy of a consumer’s credit report every 12 months. If you have a computer, you can have your credit report in front of you within minutes.”

 The three credit reporting agencies are:

 Four other Senate bills designed to combat identity theft that Williams co-sponsored have passed the Senate and are before the House for consideration. They include:

  • S.B. 178 – Establish the Office of Victim Advocate to assist victims of identity theft.

  • S.B. 601 – Criminalize the act of making public a person’s Social Security number.

  • S.B. 711 – Set penalties for sending unauthorized spyware to computers.

  • S.B. 713 – Require consumer opt-in only cell phone directories.