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For Immediate
Release
11/30/06
CONTACT:
PA
Senate Republican Communications
(717) 787-6725
Corman's Legislation That Delivers Identity Theft Protection to
Consumers Signed Into Law by Governor
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 yesterday
was signed into law by the Governor.
Corman's Senate Bill 180, known as the Credit Reporting Agency Law,
allows consumers to place and remove security freezes on their credit
report.
Corman
said the new law creating security freezes would allow consumers to
prevent anyone from looking at their 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 new law, 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 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 the Pennsylvania Public
Interest Research Group (PennPIRG).
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