Nevada Identity Theft Laws

Think about how often you are online on tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, PCs and laptops? For some, it can be nearly every waking hour of the day. Every trip onto the Internet represents another opportunity for our personal data to be compromised. As we use our personal identifying information in a wider variety of contexts, identity theft scams are becoming more and more sophisticated.

Identity theft generally entails one person using the identifying information of another for financial gain. Luckily, there are laws in place to help protect Nevada residents from the worst effects of identity theft. This article represents a brief summary of identity theft laws in Nevada.

Identity Theft Laws

The "personal identifying information" identity thieves are searching for can be anything your name and date of birth to your social security number and driver's license number. In Nevada, identity theft punishments vary depending on the amount of the financial loss, the number of offenses and previous criminal history.

Nevada Identity Theft Statutes

Identity theft laws in Nevada are highlighted in the chart below.

Code Section 205.463
Classification of Crime/Penalties Category B felony, min. 1 yr. and max. 20 yrs. and possible max. fine of $100,000; restitution including attorney's fees and cost
Who May Prosecute -
Exemptions to Identity Theft Laws -
Civil Lawsuit Allowed? -
Civil Remedies Available -
Misc. -

Nevada’s identity theft laws are merely remedies after the theft and misuse has occurred. Therefore, it’s up to you to protect yourself against identity theft:

  • Monitor your credit report and any posted credit activity.
  • Always be diligent when reading your credit card statements, bank account statements, and any government statements to check for irregular activity.
  • Use only your first and middle initials and last name on pre-printed checks and consider having them routed to a post office box.
  • Make your passwords hard to guess by using numbers, capital and lower case letters, and even symbols, and change them frequently.
  • Definitely don't use the same password for all your accounts.

FindLaw’s consumer protection section can give you more information on protecting you from identity theft, scams, or businesses engaging in unfair trade practices.

Related Resources for Nevada Identity Theft Laws:

Identity theft can be difficult to understand and hard to fix once it has happened. If you would like legal assistance with an identity theft matter, you can contact a Nevada consumer protection attorney. You can also visit FindLaw's Identity Theft Basics and Stolen Identity sections for more articles and resources on this topic.