Bill could change statute of limitations for identity theft

Bloomberg Businessweek recently reported on an out-of-state story about a new bill that could affect how certain theft crimes are treated. Specifically, the bill seeks to make identity theft crimes easier to prosecute.

According to sources, identity theft is becoming a popular crime. And with the current economic environment, it is only natural that lawmakers across the country would find a way to go after identity theft offenders, as their actions have a direct effect on individuals’ finances.

The new legislative proposal has been developed in Nevada, as a Las Vegas case exemplifies the reported need for the change in law. A young man allegedly became the victim of identity theft as a child. He didn’t find out about the theft until he turned 18 and tried to buy a car.

He was unable to make the purchase. And he was also denied the option of joining the Navy. Because someone had reportedly stolen the young man’s identity before he was old enough to try to put a stop to it, bad credit and a criminal history were attached to his name.

Now, the man knows what happened and wants justice, but he is unable to press charges. Why? The current statute of limitations says that the victim had three years after the crime occurred to file charges.

If the new proposal passes, that law would change. For those affected by identity theft as minors, they would have up to four years after finding out about the crime to prosecute. According to Bloomberg, this bill, AB83, was presented to the Assembly Judiciary Committee and met no resistance at that time.

Source

Bloomberg Businessweek: “Bill would help youth identity theft victims,” Sandra Cherub, 2 March 2011