Lawmakers try to reduce customers' exposure to identity theft

And, with lawmakers looking for a way to help their constituents, there's been little risk in demanding the change.

Tucked inside a recent rash of anti-identity theft legislation around the country are measures that would require most businesses accepting credit or debit cards to print only the last four or five numbers. States such as North Carolina and California have passed such bills, and even card issuer Visa has weighed in with plans to require limited information.

"It's something that's been building a head of steam over the last several years," said Mallory Duncan, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Retail Federation.

A recent Federal Trade Commission assessment of identity theft estimated 9.9 million people spent $5 billion last year trying to clean up after those who either misused their accounts or opened new accounts in their names.

In a survey done for the FTC, as many as 13 percent of all victims found the crooks had picked up details during a transaction "by taking information from a credit card receipt or during a purchase, or through purchases made over the Internet, mail or phone." Even if federal legislation forces the issue on a national basis, as seems likely, it may be months or even years before companies are required to go to truncated account numbers.

Giving businesses time to make the changes is only fair, said Duncan, whose National Retail Federation has testified on behalf of such legislation.

"While the idea makes a lot of sense, let's be reasonable," he said. It's not an inconsiderable expense for small businesses to replace their equipment.

In the meantime, customers should both hang on to their receipts and keep a close watch of their credit card bills to make sure no unexplained charges show up, Duncan said.

Consumer advocacy organizations have complained that the federal rules would pre-empt laws already passed in some states that require truncated numbers much sooner.

It's hard to know just how many retailers may already comply. The ranks have been growing but it's still not uncommon to get a receipt done the old-fashioned way.

John Henne, of Henne Jewelers in Shadyside, Pa., wasn't familiar with the legislation, but his customer copies just show the first four digits of a credit card.

"We purposely are very conscious of keeping our credit card receipts very secure," said Henne, who suspects it wouldn't be difficult to reprogram the system to print just the last few digits.

HELP FOR IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS

LOCALLY: Southwest Florida State Attorney Steve Russell's office is handling numerous active identity theft complaints from victims throughout Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. Identity theft in Florida is a third degree felony, which can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison.

The crime is defined as the acquisition of personal information such as name, social security number, driver's license or bank and credit card account numbers in order to engage in unlawful acts.

"Identity theft is now the crime of choice for those who used to be drug criminals," said Chere Avery, spokeswoman for the state attorney's office.

It's much easier for criminals to watch a mailbox and steal a victim's identity than to deal in drugs, Avery said. "We get calls on it every day."

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Attorney General's office have created a Web site to educate people about identity theft and assist victims filing an identity theft claim and rebuilding their good names. Find it on the Web at www.myfloridalegal.com/identitytheft

NATIONALLY: The Financial Services Roundtable, an organization representing 100 institutions handling about 70 percent of the nation's financial transactions, is creating the Identity Theft Assistance Center. The program will begin in May 2004.

Under the program, a victim can contact his or her local bank, which in turn would contact the Identity Theft Assistance Center. The center would then contact the victim to obtain an affidavit to be sent to law enforcement officials, credit card companies, financial institutions and credit card bureaus. Also, financial institutions can check a database to see if a person applying for a loan or credit has reported an identity theft complaint.

Find details at the Financial Services Roundtable Web site at www.fsround.org