Identity Theft: The Meth Connection

A bill introduced by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington would spotlight the link between methamphetamine use and identity theft.

The proposed legislation would commission a study to evaluate:

• Whether greater sentences should be imposed if a person commits a crime involving methamphetamine and identity theft
• Whether an electronic clearinghouse should be established within the Department of Justice enabling federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to share information regarding these crimes
• Whether methamphetamine users are more likely to commit certain types of identity theft crimes.

The study would mandate that the Attorney General submit a report to Congress detailing its findings and any recommended legislative changes. It is expected that the Bureau of Justice Statistics would cover the study's costs.

Although no definitive data currently exists detailing the relationship between identity theft and meth use, reports from law enforcement officials across the western United States indicate a strong connection between the two crimes.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that in the last year, police have seized more than 9,300 meth labs nationwide, an increase of 500 percent since 1996. Since the beginning of 2005, law enforcement agencies in California have seized more than 800 meth labs — already more than the 778 labs seized in all of 2004.

The increase in identity theft has been similarly dramatic. In 2003, Identity theft incidents reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2003 reached 214,905, up from 86,212 such reports in 2001.

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California spoke in support of the Cantwell bill. "In recent years, we've seen the number of meth labs seized and reports of identity theft shoot up," Senator Feinstein said. "Law enforcement officials are reporting that this is not just a coincidence. These two crimes can turn people's lives upside down and threaten entire communities. It's time to take a closer look at the connection between meth use and identity theft."

Senator Feinstein and Senator Jim Talent of Missouri are sponsors of the Combat Meth Act, which aims to curb methamphetamine production by making pseudoephedrine, the primary ingredient used to make meth, unavailable without a prescription. Senator Feinstein has also introduced legislation to tackle the problem of identity theft by setting standards for protecting personal information such as Social Security numbers, driver's licenses, and medical and financial data, including information collected both online and offline.