Identity Theft Protection

IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION

G.S.132-1.10(f)

“(f )Any person has the right to request that the Department of the Secretary of State, a register of deeds or clerk of court remove, from an image or copy of an official record placed on the Department of the Secretary of State’s, a register of deeds’ or court’s Internet Website available to the general public or an Internet Web site available to the general public used by the Department of the Secretary of State, a register of deeds or court to display public records by the Department of the Secretary of State, the register of deeds or clerk of court, the person’s social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords contained in that official record. The request must be made in writing legibly signed by the requester, and delivered by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, or delivered in person to the Department of the Secretary of State, the register of deeds or clerk of court. The request must specify the personal information to be redacted, information that identifies the document that contains the personal information and unique information that identifies the location within the document that contains the social security, employer taxpayer identification, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code or passwords to be redacted. The request for redaction shall be considered a public record with access restricted to the Department of the Secretary of State, the register of deeds, the clerk or court, their staff or upon order of the court. The Department of the Secretary of State, the register of deeds or clerk of court shall have no duty to inquire beyond the written request to verify the identity of a person requesting redaction and shall have no duty to remove redaction for any reason upon subsequent request by an individual or by order of the court, if impossible to do so. No fee will be charged for the redaction pursuant to such request. Any person who requests a redaction without proper authority to do so shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation.”