INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Indiana House of Representatives voted unanimously in support of State Rep. Ryan Lauer’s (R-Columbus) legislation helping Hoosiers protect themselves against synthetic identity theft, which occurs when a person uses a combination of false information and stolen data, such as a Social Security number and a fake name, to open fraudulent accounts.
“Most people do not know about synthetic identity theft or that they could unknowingly be a victim,” Lauer said. “This legislation would give Hoosiers more tools to protect themselves.”
He said Hoosiers could submit requests to credit reporting agencies to determine if they are victims of synthetic identity theft. If a fraudulent account is discovered, the victim could take legal action against the thief and work to safeguard their information. Children are the most vulnerable to identity theft. Studies have found that rates for children were more than 50 times that of adults.
House Bill 1668 now moves to the Senate for consideration. To learn more, visit iga.in.gov.