Identity theft is not an easy thing to overcome. Just one incident can ruin your credit and cost you hours of time spent trying to correct or erase fraudulent activity. And it can seem as if there is no end to the sleepless nights when you’re dealing with the havoc it can cause.
To top it all off, government agencies such as the IRS and Social Security Administration don’t notify you if your information has been compromised. In fact, the IRS is legally required to protect the privacy of the person committing the fraud, just as they are held accountable for protecting yours.
A Wisconsin resident recently discovered that he had become a victim of identity theft after receiving a call from a debt collector, and he immediately notified the IRS. He was told that the IRS had been aware of the situation for sometime, and was not under any obligation to notify him of the situation.
Incidents of identity theft are reported by the thousands every day and the problem is growing. Congress has taken several steps to help Americans fight back and maintain the security of their personal information. But it isn’t enough.
“A majority in Congress have agreed that our government should help in the battle against identity theft,” said U.S. Rep. Tom Petri. “Unfortunately, the IRS believes it cannot be part of this fight.”
In response, Petri last week introduced legislation that would require the IRS to “fight on the side of the good guys.”
The bill is co-sponsored by Petri and Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill.
“Privacy laws are not intended to protect fraudsters or to enable illegal immigration,” Bean said. “If the IRS has information about identity theft, it should share that information immediately with law enforcement and affected parties.”
The Petri-Bean bill, dubbed the Social Security Identity Defense Act, would require the IRS to inform a taxpayer when his or her Social Security number has been used fraudulently to gain employment, provide that the IRS share this information with the FBI, and allow the FBI to make facts available to state and local law enforcement agencies. It would also prevent the appearance of a fraudulently-used Social Security number on a W-2 statement.
“The Federal Trade Commission estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year,” Petri said. “We should ensure that our government does all it can to help identify theft victims. This bill takes a big step in that direction.”
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