Michigan Gets Tough on ID Theft

The laws, which take effect in March, bar retailers from displaying more than the last four digits of a credit card account number on a sales receipt or mailing. Also, employers cannot print Social Security numbers on an ID badge or card, and victims of identity theft have the right to obtain a police report.
Other measures make it a felony to use people's ID information without their consent, and limit companies from using Social Security numbers as primary account numbers -- with several exceptions.
The identity theft bills are Senate Bills 220, 657, 792, 793, 795, 798 and 1384; and House Bills 6169, 6172, 6174 and 6177.

Several bills help prevent identity theft by strengthening privacy protections on the use of personal information like social security numbers.

SB 657 limits a company’s right to require customers to disclose their social security number (SSN) in order to do business;SB 795 prohibits the public display of SSNs, encourages the creation of privacy policies regarding use and disposal of SSNs, and prohibits the printing of SSNs on health care cards, student IDs and other cards, badges or licenses;SB 220 bans the printing of full credit card numbers on receipts.

Several other bills take steps to assist law enforcement officials to better track and prosecute identity thieves. 
·         SB 792 strengthens the definition of identity theft under the law;
·         SB 793 breaks down jurisdictional barriers that have blocked many identity theft cases from prosecution, allowing prosecution in the victim’s home city or county;
·         HB 6172 extends the statute of limitations for identity theft crimes;
·         HB 6169  redefines identity theft in the criminal code. 

The final bills in the package assist victims of identity theft to recover:
·         SB 1384 gives victims the right to have a police report taken and to get a copy of that report;
·         SB 798 protects victims from being denied credit or utility service because they’ve been an identity theft victim.

The full text of the bills can be found at www.MichiganLegislature.org

Thanks to Linda Foley of the ID Theft Resource Center.