NASHVILLE, TN _ Starting Jan. 1, Tennessee businesses will be prohibited from including Social Security numbers in consumer mailings or requiring them to be used as identification on the Internet.

The restrictions are part of a new law, the Credit Security Act of 2007, approved unanimously by state lawmakers last spring in hopes of preventing identity theft.

“It’s appalling that if a thief gets your name, Social Security number and date of birth, he can buy something or establish credit in your name. We applaud the Legislature and the governor for trying to keep consumers safe,’’ said Karin Miller, communications director for AARP Tennessee, which pushed for passage of the law.

Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in the U.S., with an estimated 15 million victims last year, according to AARP research. Some 23 percent of all identity theft complaints came from people age 50 or older, the Federal Trade Commission says.

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