January 27, 1998
BAKER'S LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY Attorney General's Domestic Violence, Consumer Fraud Bills Introduced in Senate Today
The second piece of legislation, Senate Bill 513 introduced by Senators Charles Walker, Ed Harbison, Nathan Dean and Richard Marable, would create the new crime of "financial identity fraud." This legislation, the "Personal Financial Security Act," would authorize the Attorney General to prosecute criminals who steal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, driver's license numbers, or PIN numbers, for the purpose of accessing an individual's financial records. "With the proliferation of personal identification numbers and the growing access to personal information via computer networks, it is imperative that Georgia consumers be protected from fraud by unscrupulous con artists whose only goal is to use this information to steal their money," says Baker. According to Barry Reid, head of the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs, "the theft of personal information is becoming more and more prevalent in Georgia, and laws such as the one proposed by Attorney General Baker will greatly assist in the fight against consumer fraud."
Baker is optimistic that both bills will pass in this legislative session.