One of Ours

Identity theft has become one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States. Depending on the source, it is estimated that between 7 million to 10 million Americans are victims of identity fraud at a cost over a billion dollars a year. For victims of identity fraud, it may mean months of headaches trying to recover monetary losses and repair credit. For perpetrators, if caught and prosecuted, it may only mean probation with restitution. That may change with today's signing of the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act (ITPEA). The new law strengthens penalties against identity fraud by setting up sentencing guidelines for those who possess another's identification-related information with intent to commit a crime.