CONSUMER PROTECTION

Safeguard your personal information

Cope with fraud and identity theft 

More Info HERE

Identity theft can turn your world upside down. It seems that the threat increases everyday and now almost everyone knows someone affected by this growing problem. As a member of both the House Judiciary and Financial Services Committees, this issue is of particular concern to me. Both of these committees share jurisdiction over this issue and have the responsibility to review related legislation before it is considered on the House floor.

A series of breaches spurred a refocus on consumer protection. Last year, we witnessed the theft of the personal information of 26.5 million American veterans (just recently recovered), two Federal Trade Commission computers containing sensitive personal data, a file server at American International Group that held personal information on 970,000 customers, and a Equifax Inc. laptop containing employee names and Social Security numbers.

Unfortunately, this is only the tip of the iceberg. It is clear that in this day and age when our personal information is held and managed in new and more efficient ways, we need to take action to protect ourselves and our family from identity theft.

Congress is taking action to help curb this growing problem. However, there are things you can do to help protect your own security.

• Err on the side of caution- Trust your instinct when it comes to promotional scams that ask for personal information. Unless you have initiated the contact, try to avoid giving your information out over the phone, through the mail, or on the internet.  
• Develop strong and secure passwords- Passwords should contain at least 8 characters and include a capital letter and number. Avoid using obvious passwords like your birth date. 
• Secure your trash and your mail- Yes, identity thieves have no shame and will rummage through your trash to obtain personal information. You may also opt-out of pre-screened credit card offers by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT.  
• Leave your SSN card in a secure place- Do not carry it around in your wallet and only give your number out if truly necessary. 
• Contact the FTC- The Federal Trade Commission works to protect consumers from fraud, deception, and unfair business practices. Consumers can contact the FTC for information or to report complaints. www.ftc.gov

Additional Consumer Protection Resources:
Online Security: www.ftc.gov/infosecurity
Chain Mail: www.ftc.gov/chainmail
Automobile Fraud: www.ftc.gov/autos
Diet and Fitness Fraud: www.ftc.gov/dietfit
Spam Email: www.ftc.gov/spam
Health Fraud: www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/cureall/index.html
Do Not Call Registry: www.donotcall.gov or toll free at 1-888-382-1222
KIDZ Privacy
Scholarship Scams

Congressional Action

I supported H.R. 1731, the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, which was signed into law on July 15, 2004. This bill created penalties for aggravated identity theft which include:

• Two years’ imprisonment for knowingly transferring, possessing, or using, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person during and in relation to specified felony violations.
• Five years’ imprisonment for knowingly taking such action with respect to a means of identification or a false identification document during and in relation to specified felony violations pertaining to terrorist acts.

A court is also prohibited from placing any person convicted of such a violation on probation or reducing any sentence for the related felony to take into account the sentence imposed for such a violation.

In addition, H.R. 2971, the Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act, was intended to prevent fraudulent misuse of the Social Security account numbers, ensure personal privacy, and enhance protection against identity theft. 

Congress is also considering legislation such as, H.R. 3997, the Financial Data Protection Act of 2006 and H.R. 4127, the Data Accountability and Trust Act. Additionally, I am an original co-sponsor of H.R. 5318, the Cyber-Security Enhancement and Consumer Data Protection Act of 2006.

These bills contain provisions to ensure that when identity thieves break into personal information records, those responsible for keeping the records are responsible for notifying the consumers affected as well as law enforcement. In order to decrease this type of crime, it must be exposed to the proper authorities, and consumers must be given warning that their personal information may have been compromised. 

Additionally, I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 5464, the Veterans Identity Protection Act to improve information security for veterans.

I am committed to combating identity theft and look forward to the continued development of legislation related to this important issue.