WASHINGTON – Federal agencies should restrict their use of Social Security numbers to guard against identity theft, a presidential commission said Tuesday.

The Identity Theft Task Force, which was created in May, also urges greater penalties against identity thieves and creation of a “universal police report” to help police and victims track complaints.

“When we look at the problem of identity theft, we are reminded that the same technological advances that have improved our lives have also given new and broad opportunities to criminals,” Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said at a briefing announcing the proposals.

The recommendations, Gonzales said, are a first step to creating practical solutions.

Under the plan, the task force urges the government to review the uses of Social Security numbers as employee identification and determine ways in which it can conceal or eliminate their use in agency systems and paper and electronic forms.

It calls on Congress to amend criminal laws so that identity-theft victims can recover for their hours lost disputing fraudulent accounts with creditors or correcting credit reports.

The initial recommendations come as the government has struggled with high-profile data breaches. At least 10 agencies in recent months have reported incidents, which included the loss of a laptop and external drive containing information for 26.5 million veterans and active-duty troops. That equipment was later recovered.

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