Thursday, 4:30 PM
Identity theft bill signed into law
(Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff/file)
By Globe Staff
Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill today that requires companies to immediately notify consumers when their private information has been breached.
The law also lets residents place a "security freeze" on their consumer credit reports, at a cost of up to $5 per request, and establishes rules for the disposal of old records that contain personal information such as Social Security numbers. Under those rules, state officials would be required to delete the first few digits of Social Security numbers when handling personal information if federal authorities don't require the full number.
"The consequences of identity theft can be devastating and far-reaching for victims," Patrick said in a statement. "This law recognizes the new risks facing consumers today and puts a number of critical safeguards in place to help the people of Massachusetts protect their credit and their good names."
The governor discussed the new law in his weekly podcast, which can be found by clicking here.
