What happens to an identity theft record if the agency does not act before the Date of Purge?

When an agency fails to act on an identity theft record before the Date of Purge, the record is removed permanently from the system. This is designed to protect individuals from the long-term consequences of having their identities misused in a manner that was not properly investigated or confirmed by the agency.

The purging process is an essential safeguard, ensuring that outdated or unverified information does not linger in the records, which could unfairly impact someone’s background checks or criminal history. The removal serves to maintain the integrity of the database and protect individuals from potential injustices stemming from erroneous or outdated records. This process is specifically crucial in cases of identity theft since relying on inaccurate information could lead to wrongful assumptions about a person's activities or character.

Other options suggest processes like review or conversion, but these do not align with the purging procedure which distinctly results in permanent removal from the system without further action from the agency.