Denise had her wallet stolen in North Carolina in 1998 and became a victim of identity theft as a result. The thief used her name to open more than 50 accounts and obtain multiple addresses, destroying Denise's credit rating. The new law was developed after victims like Denise testified during public hearings before the state Legislature. The security-freeze law allows consumers to place a security freeze on their credit, blocking all access to a victim's credit report. The measure passed the Legislature in May, and Gov. George Pataki signed it into law June 10.
