Danberg announced today that Delaware’s Identity Theft Passport Act will go into effect on October 28, 2006. This new law was designed to provide victims of identity theft a way to substantiate a claim of identity theft to creditors and law enforcement.

ID theft occurs when a criminal steals a person’s confidential information such as Social Security Number, birth date, credit card numbers and bank account information. Criminals use stolen information to obtain false drivers’ licenses, utility services, credit cards, loans, government benefits and merchandise. Stolen identities are also used to defraud consumers, commit crimes and avoid arrest.

Now, victims of identity theft have a new way to fight back and reclaim their identity. To be eligible for a passport, victims must file a report witht he police agancy with jurisdiction over their residence. At the same time, they can apply for the passport through the police agancy or they can apply through the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit.

Passports can be presented to a law enforcement agency to help prevent arrest or detention for an offense commited by another, to creditors to aid in the investigation of fraudulent charges, and to a consumer reporting agency as official notice of a dispute.

Consumers can obtain more information about the new law and tips on how to protect themselves from identity theft by calling Attorney General Danberg’s Consumer Protection Unit at 800-220-5424 or on his website at www.state.de.us/attgen

Print