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Senate Passes Wonderling Legislation to Ensure Confidentiality
of Social Security Numbers
HARRISBURG -- The
Senate passed legislation today that would protect Pennsylvanians from identity
theft by mandating the confidentiality of Social Security numbers, according to
Sen. Rob Wonderling (R-24), the bill's sponsor.
Senate Bill 601 would
prohibit any person, business or state agency from making a Social Security
number available to the public. The legislation would prohibit the use of
Social Security numbers to access goods or services, as well as prohibiting the
transmission of Social Security numbers over the Internet unless the connection
is secure or the information is encrypted.
An individual's social
security number is one of the most valuable pieces of information that identity
thieves can steal to commit fraud, Wonderling said. I am pleased that the
Senate has taken this important step toward protecting the privacy of
Pennsylvanians' personal information.
Reported cases of identity
theft in Pennsylvania have increased from less than 5,100 in 2002 to more than
7,500 in 2004, making it one of the fastest-growing crimes in the state. The
Federal Trade Commission estimates that U.S. consumers and businesses lost
$52.6 billion last year due to identity theft. Wonderling said that victims of
identity theft often must spend a great deal of time and money to repair the
damage to an individual's credit history and reputation.
Senate Bill 601 will now go
to the House of Representatives for consideration.
 
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