We Must End Identity Theft

Fort Lauderdale, FL, February 10, 2012
Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz held a roundtable discussion about identity theft

You go to file your tax return, only to discover someone has already done it under your name. Identity theft has become all too common for South Floridians, and the tri-county area leads the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas in identity theft cases, according to the Federal Trade Commission. And nationwide, Florida leads the other 49 states in the number of identity theft complaints.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) met today with federal and local law enforcement agencies and other groups to talk about the obstacles they face when trying to go after identity thieves and prevent future cases.

“With more and more people paying their bills and filing their taxes electronically, we need to be sure law enforcement has the resources and authority they need to keep pace with new trends in identity theft,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “My district offices have seen a significant increase in requests for assistance with identity theft cases, especially among seniors. The Florida delegation in Congress is working hard to respond to this growing issue in Florida and do what we can to help law enforcement crack down on offenders.”