COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Consumers would get new tools to fight identity theft under a bill the Senate approved Wednesday.

The Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act would let consumers get free credit reports and court help when they discover that someone has fraudulently used their identification to get credit.

"For those people who have had their identity stolen, they can expect to have some assistance and hopefully it won't take them several years - which is what happens now - to redeem their good name," said Sen. Linda Short, D-Chester, and the bill's sponsor.

The bill also would require information about fraudulent accounts to be deleted from victims' reports. And credit card companies would have to verify change of address requests.

"That's one of the easiest ways for someone to steal your identity," Short said. "We get a million of those things and so many people just trash them without tearing them up. What you need to do is shred them."

The bill heads to the House, where a similar Senate bill died last year.

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On the Net:

Identity theft bill: http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess115-2003-2004/bills/222.htm