New tools under Washington's Identity Theft Law

Washington's identity theft law is one of the toughest in the nation. The law:

• Establishes jurisdiction for identity theft either in the county where the victim resides or in the county where any part of the offense takes place. The bill creates a loss threshold of $1,500. Any loss at or above that amount constitutes a Class B felony. If the loss is less than $1,500, identity theft is a Class C felony. This strengthens current law to deter would-be thieves and allows local prosecutors to seek stiffer sentences. Upon conviction, the law allows courts to issue an order the victim can use to correct public records tainted by identity theft. This gives victims a legal document to help correct public records.

• Allows a consumer to block any fraudulent information resulting from identity theft by filing a police report with the consumer reporting agency. The block may be removed in certain circumstances under a good faith and reasonable judgment standard.

• Requires businesses to provide victims with information about fraudulent transactions made in their names. Businesses may require proof of identity. Businesses that refuse to provide information may be required to pay damages and a $1,000 penalty for willful violations.

• Prohibits collection agencies from calling identity theft victims multiple times once they have been notified that a series of checks have been stolen or misappropriated.