By Matthew Monks
The DA made the plea during a hearing of the Assembly Banks, Consumer Affairs and Codes Committees at Borough Hall in Kew Gardens on April 7.”We have done much, but we need to do more,” Brown said in a prepared statement. “Our laws have not kept up with the rapidly changing nature of identity theft … The Legislature can help law enforcement put identity thieves out of business.”In 2002, the Legislature made identity theft a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.Brown called for stiffer penalties, saying lawmakers should make the theft of a credit card account number a felony that carries a sentence of up to four years in prison. He suggested that legislators reduce the cost of the crime by allowing victims to submit affidavits rather than appear in person before a grand jury to confirm ownership of stolen account numbers.The DA said identity thefts have risen in recent years and his economic crimes bureau handled more than 2,000 cases last year.Some of the more notable included: ¥ A Richmond Hill youth who was charged with stealing the credit card information of hundreds of victims online through the practice of “phishing,” or sending thousands of e-mails in the guise of a customer service representative telling a customer that they must resubmit their personal account information. Shiva Brent Sharma is a repeat offender and the latest case is pending, according to the DA's office. ¥ A fraud ring of lawyers and a real estate broker charged with staging a half dozen sham real estate closings in 2003 in South Ozone Park, Jamaica and St. Albans. The owners had no knowledge of the sales. Flushing clothing store employee charged last month with using an electronic scanning device to steal patrons' credit card numbers.Reach reporter Matthew Monks by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
