Mexican deputy proposes criminalizing identity theft

Deputy Olga Juliana Elizondo Guerra has proposed a reform to the Federal Penal Code to criminalize identity usurpation. The initiative seeks to establish prison sentences ranging from two to ten years, along with fines of up to four hundred days.

The proposal defines the crime as obtaining personal data through any means to impersonate a third party for personal benefit or to commit other offenses. Under the initiative, penalties would increase by half, and professionals in fields such as informatics or telematics could face a suspension of their right to practice for one to five years.

Elizondo Guerra noted that Mexico currently lacks federal legislation specifically targeting identity usurpation, with only 16 entities having it codified in different legal frameworks. The goal is to provide uniform and rigorous punishment across the country to address crimes involving bank accounts, social media, and telephone fraud.