Maine adopts ID theft law

Maine Gov. John Baldacci has signed a law that clarifies the process of cleaning up credit reports of people who become identity theft victims. The law takes effect later this year.

Rep. Carol Grose’s clarifies that information that goes in a consumer’s credit report as a result of identity theft is considered inaccurate data for purposes of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and is subject to correction by the consumer reporting agency.

As refined by committee, the bill is more consistent with existing state and federal laws, the sponsor said. Passage of the legislation also puts Maine among seven other states that have enacted laws that go beyond federal procedures.

“Identity theft victims have to jump through all sorts of hoops just to regain control of their accounts and information,” Grose said. “Victims don’t deserve bad credit for a criminal’s bad choices.”

Topics Fraud Maine