Identity theft; establish procedure for victim to have debt forgiven and credit reports purged.

HB 437 creates a clear process for identity theft victims in Mississippi to have fraudulent debts forgiven and credit reports cleared. Victims must send certified mail to creditors requesting debt release and credit removal; if creditors don’t act within 60 days, victims can petition their local chancery court. To succeed, victims must prove they didn’t consent to the debt, had no knowledge of it when incurred, filed a police report, and received no personal benefit. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting victims of identity theft who face unauthorized debts on their credit reports.