Draft bill penalizes identity theft

Congresswoman Anabella Hers Cabral filed Draft Bill No. 3835-D-2017 (the “Bill”) on July 12, 2017. The Bill proposes amending the Criminal Code to include Section 139 ter, which would sanction with 3 to 10 years of imprisonment “those who steal the identity of a person or legal entity, or use it without authorization.”

The grounds outlined for the proposal of the Bill include a short overview of some considerations related to the crime of identity theft, including the recent growth of this crime and its exploitation to commit other even more serious crimes. In addition, the increasing use of technological means simplifies identity theft.

Furthermore, the Bill states that identity theft is part of a global problem, which negatively impacts the economy by raising the cost of credit and generating distrust in electronic commerce.