State Senator Chuck Poochigian, a Republican who represents Fresno, is helping lead efforts to protect Californians — including us here in Hesperia — from being victims of identity theft.
To those who have never been a victim, or don’t know someone who has, identity theft may just be a buzz phrase you hear on TV. But when identity theft hits home it is one of the most frustrating and angering things that can happen to you. When your bank account is raided or a family member loses money after replying to a “phishing” email, your sense of security can be completely uprooted. If your account was breached by someone observing you enter your ATM PIN at a grocery or convenience store, you may never look at people the same way again.
And that is the true tragedy of identity theft — it strips your trust in humanity. It’s a violation, a form of rape. In 2004, consumers reported losses of $547 million, and it too the average victim an estimated 175 hours and $800 to resolve his identity theft problems. If that isn’t enough anguish, it takes the average victim two to four years to clear their names.
According to Poochigian, the Federal Trade Commission states that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation. California is ranked as the third highest state behind Arizona and Nevade for the greatest number of identity theft victims with 122.1 per 100,000 population.
Poochigian recently introduced a bill package that would give law enforcement the necessary tools to pursue and prosecute criminals who perpetrate these schemes. That includes street-level criminals and those using technology to steal personal information.
“It is past time that California’s legislature makes the punishment for identity theft fit the crime,” Poochigian says.
True, indeed.
The following are bills introduced by Poochigian:
SB 1387 — Increases the penaltites for the theft and trafficking of personal identifying information.
SB 1388 — Creates new criminal penalty for phishing.
SB 1389 — Criminal identify theft.
SB 1390 — Adds identity theft to the California Crime Index.
State Senator Chuck Poochigian is to be congratulated for using his position as an elected leader to do what’s right — solve difficult problems of the day, like identity theft.
Peter Day
