March 14, 2007
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NEWS: W. Va. ID Theft Victims Might Get ReliefUnder a bill which just passed the state Legislature, identity theft victims in the state of West Virginia might start being considered victims for the purpose of restitution from the Crime Victims Compensation Fund. The Fund is intended to help victims of crime pay for those expenses incurred peripherally to the act itself, such as personal injury expenses and funeral costs. The state funds the Fund with levied fines and federal grants. Last year, 770 victims were awarded monies from the Fund, mostly for misdemeanor and felony battery and assaults. Up until now, identity theft has never been considered a crime for the intents and purposes of receiving Fund relief.
That may all change, thanks to Delegate Brent Boggs, D-Braxton, who sponsored the bill. If it the bill clears, identity theft victims will be entitled to $1,000 in travel expenses to attend court proceedings in their cases and money for counseling up to $25,000. Boggs is hoping that the bill will make a dent in the quantity of unreported identity theft in the state. Experts say that identity theft is vastly underreported to such authorities as state and local detectives and such "crime stopper" resources as most municipalities sponsor, because victims see the reporting process as a fruitless hassle. Research shows that many choose to take matters into their own hands, by dealing with the issue themselves. Boggs hopes that the monetary incentive of compensation for time and travel might spur more victims to come forward. While the Fund does not issue any monies to pay back personal loss, it does cover travel – which, to a victim of out-of-state identity theft, can become astronomically expensive, especially if multiple court appearances are required.