This week is the National Crime Victims’ Identity Theft Rights week. The national theme this year is “Every Victim, Every Time.” This is to remind us that every victim deserves respect and compassion, assistance to recover from the impact of this crime and full access to the criminal justice system.

Governor Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota, recently announced executive actions and legislative proposals to curb Identity Theft. He proposes to increase the penalties for identity theft to gross misdemeanors and felonies. This crime occurs when your personal identifying information such as Social Security number or driver’s license is stolen and used to commit fraud or other crimes.

The Federal Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse reported that 2,872 Minnesotans were victims of identity theft in 2006. Minnesota is ranked 33rd in the nation in per capita identity theft reports. Resolving identity theft has caused Minnesotans hundreds of dollars and on average 81 hours to repair the damage to their good name and credit record.

You can go to the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site for helpful information on Identity Theft. This site also contains valuable consumer information on the steps to take if you become a victim.