NEWS

Senate Gets Tough on Identity Theft Crimes The law is catching up to technology

KathrynV

11/17/2007 - The Senate has opted to pass a bill enforcing tougher laws against identity theft schemes. The Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act allows victims of identity theft to seek restitution for the time and money spent to resolve problems caused by the crime. The new law also makes legal changes to the definition of cyberextortion, reduces the value required to making certain spyware use a felony and allows for federal jurisdiction over crimes even when all computers involved are in the same state. These changes combine together to reduce loopholes in the law that were caused by the gap between technological change and the legal system.