Technology has transformed our society, easing communication between businesses, friends and coworkers, helping organizations operate more efficiently and opening access to important information at the click of a button. However, for all its benefits, this open exchange of information has also increased Ohio consumers' risk of becoming victims of a growing crime in this country--identity theft.
Every American is given a Social Security number when they are born. It is a unique identification code that helps us do everything from getting a driver's license to applying for a job to securing a loan to buy a house. Unfortunately, in recent years, some criminals have used technology and other means to steal people's Social Security numbers and other personal information, using it to obtain credit cards, rent an apartment or open bank accounts in their victim's names.
This crime has already shaken the financial stability of thousands of families in Ohio and across the country. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2006, nearly 7,000 Ohioans reported they were victims of identity theft, and this number reached more than 245,000 nationwide.
Recognizing the need for action to quell the rising tide of identity theft victims in the state and offer Ohioans greater protections over their personal information, at the beginning of the 127th General Assembly, lawmakers made work on a comprehensive consumer protection law a top priority. Recently, after months of talks between interested parties, as well as several hours of committee hearings, the General Assembly approved and the Governor signed House Bill 46, legislation sponsored by State Representative Jimmy Stewart (R-Athens), which gives Ohio consumers the ability to place a freeze on their credit reports if they suspect their personal information has been compromised, while also granting law enforcement more tools to prosecute identity thieves. State Senator Tom Niehaus (R-New Richmond) sponsored identical legislation in the Senate.
Specifically, HB 46 will allow a consumer to put a lock, or freeze, on their credit information and accounts if they suspect this information has been stolen; therefore, preventing someone from attempting to establish credit in their name. Importantly, consumers can be charged no more than $5 for the service, unless they are a victim of identity theft. In those cases, the credit freeze is free. In addition, the bill gives consumers, who have chosen to freeze their accounts, the added control to temporarily "thaw" their credit if they need access to it.
HB 46 also establishes new safeguards to protect information held by government agencies. The proposal requires public officials to remove, abbreviate or encrypt Social Security numbers and other personal information when making public records available over the Internet. This provision ensures that important public documents remain accessible to taxpayers without giving criminals the ability to simply log on to a state Web site and steal someone's identity.
While HB 46 is designed to severely limit the number of identity theft cases in the state, it does not make Ohioans immune to this terrible crime. Therefore, the bill enacts stronger legal measures to give law enforcement greater resources to bring these criminals to justice.
For instance, HB 46 expands the window in which identity thieves can be criminally prosecuted, as well as the time frame for consumers to recover any damages through civil action. Additionally, the proposal requires the Office of Criminal Justices Services to make grants available to local law enforcement, so they have the resources necessary to update their computer technology or provide for additional staff training to combat this growing crime.
Identity theft not only hurts the financial well-being of Ohio consumers and their families, but can have a damaging impact on the success of local businesses and our state's economy. House Bill 46 works to address this problem, by giving Ohioans more tools to protect their personal information and ensure that their identity is safe.
As always, I welcome your views on state issues. If you have any questions, thoughts or concerns, or if you need assistance working with a state government agency, please write to me: Senator John A. Carey, Ohio Senate, Statehouse, Columbus, Ohio 43215, or call my office at 614-466-8156.
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