Posted by B__CA on 9/28/05 6:11pm
Msg #67877

Identity Theft, worst I've heard.

This is a story from my borrower today.

Mr Smith kept his wallet in his truck. Typical man. How many times have I had to wait while the husband goes out to the truck to get his license.

One day he noticed his license and SS card missing. He figured he had put them somewhere, but couldn't find them. He gets another license and a SS card.

About 2 years later or so, the Highway Patrol pulls him over for a traffic violation. Hauls him off to jail. Violation of his probation.

Come to find out, Mr Jones stoled the license and SS, from Mr Smith, to cash a bad check. Got caught. When he went to jail, court and was sentenced it was all under Mr Smith's name. Gets out on probation. Why would you report to your probation officer if no one really knew who you were.

Mr Smith goes to court, thank goodness the correction officer puts down on Mr Jones file that he has a tatoo on his right should. Mr Smith is trying to explain to the judge that he is not
the same person. The judge sees the notes and asked to see Mr Smith should, no tatoo.

The judge was nice, and signed a statement that he is a victum of identiy theft .

Few years later he goes to dinner with a relative and has one glass of wine in 4 hours.
He gets pulled over for a headlight being out. Highway patrol officer, assumed he had been
drinking, more takes him to the station to have a test, and has his truck towed away. He gets to the station, nothing registeres on the test, the desk sargent wants to know why he's there. Now the patrol officer realizes he had his truck towed off he may have to pay for the towing or his department, he runs a check on his license number. Off to jail again Mr Smith goes, violation of probation, again. He shows him the letter from the judge. The patrol officer says the information isn't in the system. He spends the night in jail. The next morning, a relative comes to pick him up. This time they must realize they messed up never hears anything about it, no ticket for the light being out. He did have to pay for the towing.

The stupid part of this whole story is that Mr Smith is in his 70's, mr Jones was in his 40's.
You'd think with the age difference they'd know it was not his license.

Didn;t affect his credit, but he sure is afraid of being pulled over.

Reply by Anonymous on 9/28/05 10:01pm
Msg #67894

And THEY are expected to be perfect being the ones protecting us and keeping us safe. Don't you think we should get more than $50 for a signing. Because the way I look at it, we have to make sure it's them, make sure they are intelligent to know what they are doing, and make sure they aren't influenced by drugs or alcohol while signing. Hmmmmmmmm and the police couldn't THAT easy thing right? They didn't even have to stamp anything. LOLOLOLOL

Reply by B__CA on 9/28/05 10:15pm
Msg #67897

I definitly think we should get more that 50.00 a signing. The funny thing about this signing was, it was at a lending institution. After having the borrower sign all the documents, I had to got to the rep and say you know there isn't a HUD in the package. They were the ones that printed them. The sad part of the story, is they still don't know who Mr Jones is, even with his finger prints.

Reply by PattyTX on 9/29/05 11:56am
Msg #67937

I was recently the victim of identity theft. I was pulled over for a traffice violation (passing a stop sign hidden behind tree limbs) on 03/17/2005. He ran my license and told me he had to place me under arrest for auto theft. I wanted to die when I heard that! Apparently the theft took place in Marshall, Tx. (which I had never heard of). Long story short, someone had taken an OLD Tx ID card when I was way younger and 60lbs lighter, went into a Sports shop, purchased a motorcycle with a commercial check from a roofing company. No one at the store, which does not make sense to me, ever checked the bank for funds, checked this person's references or anything. Too many red flags. But I was arrested, and thousands of dollars later, I had to go to court SEVERAL times, take a polygraph test, have my employer write a letter that I was at work at the time, they finally dropped the charges. However, told me I had to go through another process to get it off of my record. The identity theft has caused me many problems with my credit, my personal life, my professional life. It is a horrible thing that people can get away with this. Someone out there has a really nice motorcycle at my expense! (and note: I can't even ride a bicycle much less a motorbike!)

Reply by B__CA on 9/29/05 1:45pm
Msg #67969

I feel so sorry for you, as I did for this my borrower. You wonder if these crooks have a clue as to what they are doing to others. Probably don't care. Just amazes me the authorities don't research every thing more.

Reply by PattyTX on 9/29/05 2:14pm
Msg #67976

No they don't know nor care about the reprocussions they cause others. I know I did not have $10,000 to cover expenses for atty's, court costs, travel fees, etc. to invest. I could have used that money for something worthwhile. But it is out there....sorry so say. It is so hard to fight back......who am I going to fight? To the police, it is a small case compared to other crimes out there. Defimation of character has played a big part in everything since that has happened. I can not be part of alot of city involved things where I live because this is on my record. As well as be part of school activities because they run background checks....it is still on my record. It makes me so angry! (sorry, venting.....)

Reply by Art_MD on 9/29/05 2:19pm
Msg #67980

Re: Identity Theft, insurance is available

I think I saw a flyer in the NNA monthly renewal notice that say that they include something like $2500 in identity theft insurance . Just a vague memory of seeing it as I threw out the 5th renewal notice (renewal due in Jan 06)

Art