OSPIRG launched a campaign urging the 2007 Oregon Legislature to pass a strong bill to protect Oregonians from identity theft.

“Identity theft is the nation’s fastest-growing crime. Yet credit card
companies and other data dealers are collecting, selling and sharing our personal data like never before, leaving Oregonians more vulnerable to identity theft,” said OSPIRG’s Laura Etherton. “It’s time to give Oregonians more control over their own information.”

OSPIRG is advocating protections that would make business and government notify consumers if their personal information falls into the wrong hands, and give Oregonians control over their own credit reports through a security freeze, to stop thieves in their tracks. Over 25 states have already enacted such reform.

With Oregon ranked 13th in the nation for identity theft, Etherton says the Legislature has no time to lose.