Editorial: Congress tackles ID-theft crimes

Wednesday, March 8, 2000 | 9:05 a.m.

Increasingly criminals have been able to steal personal information from consumers -- such as addresses, Social Security numbers and credit card information -- and use the victim's data to open new credit card accounts. Not only are the criminals able to buy big-ticket items fraudulently, they also can destroy the victim's credit rating.

This week Congress held hearings on the effectiveness of 1998 legislation that is supposed to curtail identity theft by imposing stiff sentences and fines for violations. The law also requires the Federal Trade Commission to aid those who have had their identities stolen. So far the law appears to be effective, with 1,350 charged with violations and 644 people sentenced. Still, Congress should continue monitoring this frightening invasion of privacy to ensure that these criminals aren't finding new ways to escape the detection of law enforcement agencies.

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