Think you’ve heard it all when it comes to stories about identity theft? Think again. Check out these 10 shocking but true identity theft stories.
1. Get Your Identity Stolen…And Then Get Sued.
Imagine: You’re a single mom from the Bronx working hard to get by on just $2,000 a month. Suddenly one day, $38,000 disappears from your savings account and your bank slaps you with a lawsuit demanding $23,000! That’s exactly what happened to Gloria Carlo two years ago, the New York Post reports. Carlo says she lost more than $68,000 in total as a result of identity thieves stealing her information and making purchases on Jewelry Television, Shop NBC, QVC and the Home Shopping Network.
2. Lose Your Laptop and Personal Information…And You Do the Suing.
On the other end of the spectrum is Raelyn Campbell, whose laptop containing her personal information was lost during warranty service from Best Buy, according to an identity theft story on engadget. She in turn filed a $54 million lawsuit against the mega retailer!
3. Identity Theft Victim, Meet Your Identity Thief.
The Los Angeles Times tells the story of one victim who took the crime into her own hands. A thief had stolen JCPenney sales clerk Michelle McCambridge’s information and opened up several credit card accounts—including with JCPenney—to charge thousands of dollars in purchases. After reporting the crime, McCambridge pulled JCPenney surveillance tapes of the crime in action and studied up on her identity thief. As luck would have it, several weeks later the thief showed up at McCambridge’s register trying to open up another line of credit! That twist of fate led to the indictment of five people involved in the scam.
4. Not Even to 4th Grade Yet and Already a Victim of Identity Theft.
Parents, pay especially close attention to this unfortunate identity theft story. These days, ID theft victims are getting younger and younger. The Consumerist reports that a thief stole the identity of 9-year-old Kyle Shoemaker to open up two credit card accounts and an $18,000 line of credit. Apparently, ID thieves don’t discriminate against age.
5. Seattle Man Overcomes Cancer—And Identity Theft.
When it rains, it pours. That was the case for one Seattle man, whose identity was stolen in the midst of his fight to beat leukemia, Discover magazine reports. Right around the time that Eric Drew was told there was little to no hope for survival, he began receiving calls from credit card companies thanking him for his applications—and from collections agencies hounding him about more than $10,000 in charges. Fed up, Drew pulled his credit report, contacted the reporting agencies and went to his local television stations to tell his story. In the end, he beat all odds—he got his credit back in order and he has successfully beat the cancer!
6. Security Breach of 2.2 Million Military Personnel.
Nearly 80% of the nation’s active-duty military were affected by one shocking identity theft story from 2006, reported by The Washington Post. Social Security numbers and other information of as many as 2.2 million U.S. military personnel were stolen from the home of a Department of Veterans Affairs analyst. According to the article, it’s not unusual for government employees to take home sensitive information on laptop computers. It’s a scary thought than even those who serve to protect aren’t protected from ID theft.
7. You’ve Heard of Identity Stealing. But House Stealing?
Identity thieves aren’t just out for your personal information to open credit lines and empty your bank account. They may also be out to steal you house, according to NetworkWorld. Here’s how it works: thieves break into your home while you are away, obtain your name and personal information from your home computer, and create fake IDs and Social Security cards. Then, the thieves head to an office supply store and purchase forms for transferring property. They are able to forge your signature, use the fake ID, and file the deed for your home with the proper authorities!
8. $3 Million: The Ultimate in Restaurant Tips.
If you’re like many Americans, you might dine out several times a week. But is your identity safe while you’re doing so? Waiters in about 40 restaurants in five states recorded credit card numbers from their customers. They then passed the information along to a group of people who used it to make more than $3 million worth of illegal purchases, according to CBS News. 13 people were eventually indicted in the scheme.
9. Can You Feel the Sisterly Love?
Blood may be thicker than water, but that didn’t stop one Chicago woman from allegedly stealing her own sister’s identity to apply for a credit card and make more than $14,000 in purchases. CBS 2 Chicago reports that Lilia Cano, a Chicago Public Schools employee, has been arrested and charged with felony identity theft.
10. I’ll Find You a Job. It’ll Only Cost You Your Identity.
When you’re struggling and out of work, you might turn to an employment agency for assistance. But the last thing you’d expect is for that trusted source to misuse your personal information. Newsday reports that the owner of an employment agency in Mastic Beach, New York, has been charged with identity theft. She allegedly used her clients’ information to create forged checks and run other scams.
These identity theft stories are no doubt shocking and frightening. But you can take control of your identity and take steps to prevent becoming a victim. Take advantage of an identity protection service today.
No related posts.
© Cole for Identity Theft Blog, 2009. | 10 Unbelievable Yet True Identity Theft Stories | http://www.identitytheftblog.com/192/10-unbelievable-yet-true-identity-theft-stories/
