IDENTITY THEFT NEWS – WEEKLY UPDATE
We represent victims of identity theft across the country. Identity theft is an epidemic, especially in the South. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas are fighting identity thieves everyday! While very few identity thieves are arrested and convicted, federal law provides identity theft victims with rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Under federal law, identity theft victims have a right to two free credit reports every 12 months. Also, identity theft victims can place a fraud alert on their credit file. Like victims of credit report errors, identity theft victims have the right to dispute fraudulent credit report information, such as accounts, name variations, public records and addresses.
Here are some of the identity theft stories from across the country this past week.
In Florida, identity thieves loot tax checks, filing early and often
San Jose Mercury News
By Lizette Alvarez MIAMI — Besieged by identity theft, Florida now faces a fast-spreading form of fraud so simple and lucrative that some violent criminals have traded their guns for laptops. And the target is the US Treasury.
Montgomery sisters sentenced for tax fraud, identity theft
Montgomery Advertiser
Two sisters from Montgomery, Alabama each were sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for their role in a tax fraud and identity theft conspiracy, the US Justice Department announced Wednesday. US District Judge Mark Fuller sentenced Loretta and Tracey …
ID Theft Brings ‘Tsunami of Fraud’ to IRS
Newser
By John Johnson, Newser Staff (Newser) – The New York Times today provides some eye-popping numbers on the relatively new crime of identity-theft tax fraud. The IRS stopped 700000 fake returns in 2010, at least 1.3 million last year, and twice that …
Whiting Man Indicted on Identity Theft Charges
Patch.com
Authorities said Vanclief faked his identity last year to obtain a Discover card in another’s name that he then used to buy items from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Earlier this year, Vanclief fraudulently took out a Mastercard in the same …
Texas man gets 20 years in prison for trying to give al-Qaida drone, GPS documents
msnbc.com
He was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday for attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and for aggravated identity theft. A Houston, Texas man convicted of trying to sneak out of the US to give al-Qaida …
Cases of identity theft rising in Missouri
Kirksville Daily Express and Daily News
While the FTC reported that 4282 Missouri residents have experienced issues with identity theft, Nanci Gonder, Missouri Attorney General’s Office press secretary, said that the FTC only reports complaints that are reported to them, as there is no …
2 ID theft suspects sentenced
Hattiesburg American
Mississippi – Two alleged managers from a multi-city identity theft and false document production scheme were sentenced Wednesday in US District Court. Judge Keith Starrett sentenced Arturo Apocada Tejeda, 41, to 30 months in prison after Tejeda pleaded guilty to …
Identity thief who had access to military and shipping areas in Jacksonville …
Florida Times-Union
By Dan Scanlan A man whose repeated identity thefts allowed him access to Navy ships at Mayport Naval Station was found guilty of multiple charges today by a federal jury, according to the US Attorney’s Office in Jacksonville, Florida. The man, who authorities …
Identity Theft: ‘Kids Don’t Know They’re Victims’
NPR
According to the US Postal Inspection Service, identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. Many identity theft victims are children and, because children don’t usually have reason to check their credit reports, the crime often goes …
Identity Theft Puts Futures of Millions of Children at Risk
NBC Bay Area
By Stephen Stock, Julie Putnam and Jeremy Carroll The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit reports that identity theft of children is growing. One survey found that in the last year, the crime has jumped 105 percent for children younger than five.
Extensive identity theft operation exposed
FOX 4 News – Dallas, TX
He was also in a downtown Dallas, Texas hotel room that appeared to be the center of an extensive identity theft operation. On Monday Dallas police arrested 26-year-old Justin Bennett. His last known address is in Los Angeles but records show he used to live …
After identity theft, beware the hard sell
CNNMoney
By Lisa Gibbs @Money May 22, 2012: 5:59 AM ET When identity theft is just a possibility, place a fraud alert. If you’re a victim, consider freezing your credit. (MONEY magazine) — If your wallet gets stolen or you’ve been caught up in a data breach …
EXCLUSIVE: Feds Bust Multi-Million Dollar Identity Theft Ring
WBFS – Miami, Florida
Homeland Security investigators say they found these items and other evidence in the Southwest Miami-Dade home of Jorge Eduardo Liy, an accused mastermind of a multi-million dollar identity theft ring stretching from South Florida to Canada and Eastern …
Seven-Year-Old Boy’s Identity Stolen
WFMY News 2
Reidsville, NC — More children are becoming victims of identity theft. In fact, one study found one in ten kids were victims of identity theft, and kids in Reidsville are no exception. On Monday, the 2 Wants To Know team at News 2 received an email …
ID theft by sisters devastates woman
New Jersey Herald
Oroho said his office has been in contact with the state Office of Legislative Services to begin to research how a person can be exposed to this type of identity theft. “We are looking to specifically address Rachel’s issues and find out if this is not …
At Least 12 Arrests Made in Identity Theft Ring
13WMAZ
The Baldwin County Georgia Sheriff’s Office has arrested at least 12 people in connection with one of the county’s largest identity theft investigations. The 2-year-long investigation has strung the department in a web of separate fraud cases.
Have you been a victim of identity theft? Have you disputed credit report errors to the nationwide credit bureaus and the fraudulent information was verified? Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumers have the right to dispute credit report errors. The credit reporting agencies must block information from appearing in your credit report that is the result of identity theft. The credit bureaus must block the information within 4 business days of receipt of an identity theft report. Under the FCRA, you have the right to sue the credit bureaus if they fail to perform a reasonable investigation or refuse to investigate your credit report disputes.
Contact FCRA attorney Micah Adkins 24/7 at 1-800-263-9091 for a free case review.