Identity Theft
The Indiana Attorney General's Office established the Identity Theft Unit in response to increased identity theft incidents reported by Indiana citizens and to enhance existing efforts to educate Hoosiers about protecting their identities. The Identity Theft Unit assists ID theft victims and provides investigative services to help promote the prosecution of identity thieves.
In 2006, the Attorney General's Office worked with the Indiana General Assembly to pass the Disclosure of Security Breach Act. This law requires that Indiana businesses inform their customers about security breaches that have placed their personal information in jeopardy. The Attorney General's Office enforces the law and can seek up to $150,000 for data breaches that have not been properly disclosed to Indiana customers.
In 2009, the Indiana Attorney General worked with the General Assembly to pass an Identity Theft bill that further enhanced law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute identity crimes and further enhanced victims’ ability to recover from the crime. Additionally, the bill statutorily created the Identity Theft Unit within the Attorney General’s Office and provided it with investigative tools and victim assistance responsibilities.