A real steal.

• Position: TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS

Identity theft generates more complaints than anything else received by the Federal Trade Commission. Credit card abuse was the most common form of fraud reported in 2009, followed by government benefits, phone or utilities, and employment fraud.

Every state has some kind of law regarding identity theft or impersonation. Twenty-nine states also have specific restitution provisions, and three states have forfeiture provisions, which prevent the thief from keeping any property obtained through the identity theft.

Eleven states have created identity theft passport programs to protect victims from ongoing problems. Among other things, passports identify holders as identity theft victims, protecting them from getting unfairly arrested or detained.

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In 2010, as state legislatures continue to combat identity theft, several have expanded what constitutes identity theft.

Georgia added businesses as potential identity theft victims. In Illinois, an applicant for a building permit now commits identity theft if he knowingly uses the license numbers of contractors who do not work on the project.

Kansas clarified the definitions of what constitutes identity theft and identity fraud to include selling or purchasing identity information to commit fraud and using false information to obtain documents containing personal identifying information.

Virginia added the sale, distribution or release of personal identifying information to the definition of "injury to property" in their extortion law.

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