Identity Theft Penalty
Enhancement Act
General Information
Passed on Thursday July 15, 2004.
Name has never been changed.
In response to the growing problem of Identity Theft as more Americans use the Internet to shop and manage their personal finance.
Before
In 2003 more than 214,905 cases of identity theft were reported.
In September 2003 the FTC estimated that identity theft cost U.S. businesses and consumers $52 billion annually.
What it Does
Act adds two years to the prison sentence for "knowingly transferring, possessing, or using, without lawful authority the means of identification of another person.
Anyone caught and convicted will receive between 2 to 5 years of imprisonment.
How It Helps
This law is intended to punish those who misuse information and therefore affects all U.S. residents.