"Identity theft continues to be a growing problem that affects more and more people every day and nearly a million people in this country have their identity stolen every year," Governor Rell said. "This crime can have a devastating effect on its victims. Many people end up spending their own money to recover their good name, which is an especially cruel irony because another individual used their true identity for their own financial gain.
"There are steps that each of us can take to safeguard our identity and one of the simplest is the proper disposal of documents and materials that include personal information," the Governor noted. "One of the best ways to ensure that your personal information does not end up in the wrong hands is to have it shredded. I encourage the public to join me on Tuesday in Hartford and to take advantage of the service that is being provided by the Department of Consumer Protection. You really can help prevent someone else from becoming 'you.'"
The Department of Consumer Protection offers the following guidance concerning documents or papers containing personal information: Carefully shred any personal papers that you are throwing away, including charge receipts, credit applications or offers, insurance forms, physicians' statements, expired charge cards and cancelled checks. More safeguarding tips can be found on DCP's Web site.
To better safeguard the public and in response to the escalating problem of identity theft, Governor Rell has introduced legislation that creates a new privacy protection statute that requires businesses, including banks, to take more measures to protect individual identities. In addition, the Governor's proposal strengthens criminal provisions and enforcement associated with identity theft. A public hearing on Governor Rell's Identity Theft legislation is scheduled for Tuesday, February 26th.
