PRINTER'S NO. 834
No. 771 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY HOLL, CONTI, TILGHMAN, COSTA, MUSTO, DENT,
SCHWARTZ, CORMAN, WOZNIAK, STOUT, TOMLINSON, ROBBINS,
SALVATORE, LEMMOND, BODACK, THOMPSON AND BOSCOLA,
APRIL 12, 1999
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, APRIL 12, 1999
AN ACT
1 Providing for the offense of the theft of identity.
2 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
3 hereby enacts as follows:
4 Section 1. Theft of identity:
5 (a) Offense defined.--A person commits an offense if he:
6 (1) Impersonates another or assumes a false identity and
7 does an act in such assumed character or false identity for
8 the purpose of obtaining pecuniary benefit for himself or
9 another or to injure or defraud another.
10 (2) Pretends to be a representative of some person or
11 organization and does an act in such pretended capacity for
12 the purpose of obtaining a benefit for himself or another or
13 to injure or defraud another.
14 (3) Obtains any personal identifying information
15 pertaining to another person and uses that information or
16 assists another person in using that information in order to
1 assume the identity of or represent themselves as another
2 person, without that person's authorization and with the
3 intent to fraudulently obtain or attempt to obtain money,
4 credit, goods or services or avoid the payment of debt or
5 other legal obligation or avoid prosecution for a crime in
6 the name of the other person without the consent of that
7 person.
8 (b) Grading.--An offense under this section falls within the
9 following classifications depending on the value of the property
10 or service secured or sought to be secured by means of the
11 stolen identity:
12 (1) If the value involved exceeds $500, the offense
13 constitutes a felony of the third degree.
14 (2) If the value involved was $50 or more but less than
15 $500, the offense constitutes a misdemeanor of the second
16 degree.
17 (3) If the value involved was less than $50, the offense
18 constitutes a summary offense.
19 Amounts involved in unlawful use of a stolen identity pursuant
20 to one scheme or course of conduct may be aggregated in
21 determining the classification of the offense.
22 (c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
23 words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
24 subsection:
25 "Personal identifying information." This term includes, but
26 is not limited to, name, address, telephone number, Social
27 Security number, place of employment, employee identification
28 number, demand deposit number, savings account number, credit
29 card number, debit card number, personal identification number
30 or mother's maiden name.
19990S0771B0834 - 2 -
1 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
C12L18JS/19990S0771B0834 - 3 -