Identity Theft Stories
Shared stories of people who were victims of identity theft. ID theft stories are an important way for you to see first hand how someone got their identity stolen and what they did about it. Also it is important for people who are victims of identity theft to file "Victim's Statements" to impress upon the judge and others the severity of identity theft and the pain and suffering it caused you.
An employer stole her employee's identity from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Linda went to work for Bari in July of 1997. As part of the requirements for the job Bari asked Linda for her social security number, and a copy of her drivers license. One week after Linda started working Bari got a cell phone using Linda's personal information. Bari then went on to apply for credit cards in Linda's name. Bari used these credit cards and the cell phone for 5 months before Linda became aware of it. Linda found out when she received a final notice before collection in November 1997. Due to Linda's work with the local police department and district attorney Bari was prosecuted.
When you file a change of address with the post office make sure that is goes through from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
This person moved apartments and filed a change of address form with the US Post Office. The post office then did not forward the mail to the new address but kept delivering the person's mail to their old address. The people that moved into the old address just left the person's mail in the commons area of the apartment complex. Someone picked up the person's bank statements and various credit card applications, filled them out and got credit cards. The person who moved apartments then became an identity theft victim. So the advice from this person is when changing your address look for a notice from the post office sent to your new address confirming that your address was changed. Also send specific change of address letters to your bank, and credit card companies.
An identity theft victim's Written Testimony to US Senate Hearing on Identity Theft from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
This is a very long and detailed account of a woman who had her identity stolen. The story is amazing to me because the identity thief just kept using the person identity over 1 1/2 years to obtain over $50,000 of goods and services. The thief bought a truck in the victims name, got a drivers license in the victims name, rented apartments in the victims name, smuggled 3,000 pounds of marijuana in the victims name, etc. It is an unbelievable but true story of what can happen to an identity theft victim.
More Identity Theft Stories at Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
