New Jersey legislators are pushing a measure that would prevent some identity theft victims from being hassled by debt collectors.
Identity theft victims would have to send a written notice to a collection agency to trigger the protections of the bill that's already been passed by the state's Assembly.
It requires those companies to cease collection efforts until an investigation can determine whether the consumer is responsible for the debt. If the companies don't stop, they could face fines up to a thousand dollars for each violation.
State Sen. Jeff Van Drew, a Democrat, said some of his constituents have been repeatedly hounded by collectors after their stolen identities were used to make purchases.
