ID Theft ‘Passport’ Proposed by Iowa

Legislators in Iowa are suggesting the creation of an identity theft “passport” to help victims of the crime defend themselves against false prosecution and monetary charges, CNET News.com reports.

Rep. Tom Sands (R-Iowa) told CNET that the “Identity Theft Passport” will come in the form of a card or other certificate that can be shown to law enforcement, banks or other creditors to prove a person was the victim of ID fraud.

“I am a banker, when I am not in the Legislature, and have witnessed the results of stolen identity,” Sands told CNET. “I continue to see and hear about Internet frauds that try to steal a person’s identity, so it only seems identity theft will become a greater problem.”

Though the new passport can be presented to police or creditors to try to prove a fraud victim’s innocence, it will ultimately be up to the officer or credit representative—after they’ve taken the facts of the case into account—whether to accept the document, CNET reports.

James Van Dyke, a Javelin Strategy & Research analyst, told CNET that in his opinion the legislation “makes a lot of sense.”

“The process of issuing official paperwork or cards to allow individuals to identify themselves to law enforcement that they have been victims of identity fraud should help end the perpetrator’s spree of crime,” Van Dyke told CNET.

ID fraud is atop the list of consumer complaints submitted to the Federal Trade Commission in 2005, according to CNET, with more than 255,000 ID theft-related submissions.

To receive an Identity Theft Passport, a police report detailing the crime, accompanied by an application form, would have to be sent to the state’s attorney general, CNET reports.

The proposal was OK’d by the Iowa House of Representatives last Thursday, and it is to be reviewed by the Iowa Senate, according to CNET.

For related CSO content, read Five Ways to Fight ID Theft and Identity Insurance as HR Benefit.

For related news coverage, read Citibank Reissues Some Payment Cards After Fraudulent Withdrawals and Study: UK Firms Weak Against ID Theft.

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