Identity Theft Becoming More More Costly for Offenders

The law will increase jail sentences for identity thieves and allow courts to order restitution for victims.

Many residents of North Carolina were victims of identification theft in 2001, said Noelle Taylor, assistant public information officer for N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper.

"The Federal Trade Commission states that more than 1,600 North Carolinians filed ID theft complaints last year," she said. "However, (state officials) estimate that as many as 15,000 to 30,000 North Carolinians are hit by ID thieves per year."

Cooper stated in an Oct. 1 press release that, "ID theft is an serious and expensive problem for North Carolina consumers and businesses."

But Cooper said the new penalties will rein in identity thieves.

"With this tough new law in place, we can make sure that ID thieves, not businesses and consumers, pay the price for these crimes," he said.

ID thieves would face a jail sentence of anywhere from eight months to three years. Those charged with trafficking ID information, such as selling Social Security numbers, would face up to six years in jail.

The changes outlined in the bill will take effect Dec. 1 pending Gov. Mike Easley's signature.

Linda Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego, said identification theft occurs when when an imposter obtains key information about a person and uses it to get credit, merchandise or services.

She said about 700,000 to 1.1 million people in the United States were victims of ID theft in 2001. Foley added that law enforcement officials have reported a 25 to 400 percent increase for 2002.

But Foley said it is difficult to determine the actual number of incidents because the crime often goes unreported.

"Nobody has complete information about how many actual cases occur each year," she said. "The increase could be a combination of a higher level of awareness among consumers or a crime spree by identification thieves."

Foley defined ID theft as a "low-risk, low-visibility, high-profit crime."

She added that she thinks increased punishments for thieves might decrease impulse theft but will not slow it down.

ID theft can be prevented by checking credit reports monthly, guarding Social Security numbers and being suspicious of telephone and e-mail solicitors, Foley said.

She also suggested that college students open lock boxes to protect themselves and their personal information from roommates and other students.

Foley added that college students make an easy target because they are less experienced in handling personal information and are eager to establish a credit history, making them more likely to divulge sensitive information.

"They are less likely to question authority because they are trying to build a financial history," she said. "They grab at anything."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.