News: Clark Co. - Protect Vital Records (29 Apr 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: No Surnames

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 4/29/2015

Protect Vital Records (29 April 2015)

The Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association is continually working to prevent identity theft. One of the most commonly used documents for fraud is a birth record. Wisconsin State Statutes 69.24(1) makes it illegal to photocopy a vital record (birth, marriage or death certificates) and to use the photocopy for any purpose.

Certified copies of birth records are required in a number of situations related to school-age children, including the school registration process, to obtain a work permit and when applying for a driver’s license. These records also serve as proof of birth and age when children wish to participate in various after-school sports programs and other activities.

In an effort to combat identity theft and stop the widespread illegal photocopying of birth records, there is a form available from the Clark County Register of Deeds that can be used by organizations to avoid the photocopying of birth records. The form is also available on the Wisconsin Register of Deeds website at www.wrdaonline.org.  The individual requesting the information on behalf of an organization completes the form while viewing a certified copy of the birth certificate and then returns the certificate directly to its presenter. Once completed, the form should be handled and when applicable, disposed of with care, as the completed form does contain important personal information taken from the certified record and there is always a risk of fraudulent use of that information.

Vital records should be protected at all times and Walter does advise individuals to keep their vital records in a secure place such s a safe deposit box. They should also be sure to retrieve any certified copy of a vital record after it has been presented to and viewed by any organization or agency requiring proof of age.

The Clark County Register of Deeds Office is located in Room 303 of the Clark County Courthouse in Neillsville and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.