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For Immediate
Release
11/22/06
CONTACT:
PA
Senate Republican Communications
(717) 787-6725
House Passes Corman's Legislation
Delivering Identity Theft Protection to Consumers
HARRISBURG -- Legislation
written by Sen. Jake Corman (R-34) that puts consumers in greater control of
their credit reports unanimously passed in the General Assembly and is now
before the Governor for enactment into law.
Corman's Senate Bill 180, known as the Credit Reporting Agency Law,
allows consumers to place and remove security freezes on their consumer
report.
Corman
said the legislation creating security freezes would allow consumers to
prevent anyone from looking at his or her own credit reporting file for
the purposes of granting credit unless they authorize a particular
business to do so.
"When
an imposter seeks credit in a consumer's name, the creditor checks the
credit reporting file. If the file is frozen, the creditor will deny
the thief's credit application," said Corman. "Simply stated, a
security freeze is the single most effective tool consumers can use to
prevent identity theft. Security freezes allow consumers to prevent
anyone from using their credit reports for the purposes of granting
credit without their specific authorization."
With
this legislation, consumers legitimately applying for credit can lift
the freeze so particular creditors can see their files. When the
consumer is not seeking credit, the security freeze effectively prevents
anyone else from getting credit in the consumer's name.
"This
is a common-sense tool consumers can use to prevent identify theft,"
Corman said. "Residents of other states have this kind of protection
available to them and Pennsylvania's citizens should be afforded this
same consumer protection."
Senate Bill 180
was supported by consumer groups and the Pennsylvania Public
Interest Research Group (PennPIRG) calls it
"the single most important tool in preventing identity theft: the
ability to proactively freeze access to their credit reports."
"A security freeze
is an efficient and sensible way to protect Pennsylvanians before they
become victims," said Jim Swoyer, a Public Interest Advocate with
PennPIRG. "Every day without freeze legislation is another day
consumers are unnecessarily exposed to identity theft. It will be a
huge victory for consumers statewide if his legislation becomes law."
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