Identity Theft Summit

The California Summit on Identity Theft Solutions was held in Sacramento on March 1, 2005. Identity theft is a growing nationwide threat to consumers. Last year, 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft. Of those victims, over a million live in California. Law enforcement agencies report that only 11% of reported identity theft cases are solved. Officials from law enforcement, government, business, and consumer organizations gathered at the summit to discuss the different obstacles they face in prosecuting offenders and how they can overcome these obstacles. The exchange of information left the officials better informed on how to successfully resolve this problem. A report on the summit will soon be made available at http://www.idtheftsummit.ca.gov.

If you or a client become a victim of identity theft, you may be thankful that California legislation has already begun to address the issue. In 2000, AB 1862 established the California Identity Theft Registry, a database where information about identity theft victims is recorded. Law enforcement, employers, or others who may need to inquire about your criminal or financial records, can contact the Registry and verify you are a victim of identity theft. Before your name can be placed in the Registry, you must go through an application process. Among the required forms is a court order verifying victim status, which is difficult to obtain due to the process involved. Currently, only thirty people belong to the Registry, but the numbers are expected to grow as information and the process becomes more streamlined. The California Office of Privacy Protection (OPP) has greatly assisted in this matter. It developed a guide, "How to Use the California Identity Theft Registry", to educate people and to hopefully enable them to represent themselves in court when they try to obtain the necessary court documents. The guide is available at http://www.privacy.ca.gov. For further information about the Registry, visit http://caag.state.ca.us/idtheft/general.htm.