Identity theft--serious topic.

[Baitball Blogger]

My father became victim to identity theft this year. Someone stole his information and filed a tax return of $9000! The U.S. wrote the check and it was months before the situation was cleared up (here I have to give credit to his Rep. Congressman). And then they told my father that next year he has to file with a special number. So, that's when this article caught my eye, because the situation occurred worse for the woman in the article who was subjected to TOTAL IDENTITY THEFT and what popped off the page was that that the special number is something they usually reserve for illegal aliens!

I hope we get more sophisticated at tracking these thefts, because this could become a backlash issue for the right-wingers in 2016.

Kansas case puts face on 'total identity theft'

All the while, the crook claimed the real Gutierrez was the one who had stolen her identity. The women's unusual tug-of-war puts a face on "total identity theft," a brazen form of the crime in which con artists go beyond financial fraud to assume many other aspects of another person's life.

The scheme has been linked to illegal immigrants who use stolen Social Security numbers to get paid at their jobs, and authorities fear the problem could soon grow to ensnare more unsuspecting Americans.

"When she claimed my identity and I claimed it back, she was informed that I was claiming it too," said Gutierrez, a 31-year-old Houston elementary school teacher. "She knew I was aware and that I was trying to fight, and yet she would keep fighting. It is not like she realized and she stopped. No, she kept going, and she kept going harder."


snip

Both women claimed they were identity theft victims and sought to get new Social Security numbers. The Social Security Administration turned down the request from Gutierrez, instead issuing a new number to the woman impersonating her. And in another ironic twist, Gutierrez was forced to file her federal income tax forms using a special identification number usually reserved for illegal immigrants.

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20121023/0d5750b4-2a30-4c20-84bb-ca71b114db6b

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Older people like my father are susceptible to ID theft.

At dinner several years ago, he recounted how he got a telephone call from someone he didn't know. But he talked to the caller as he had "a very pleasant voice" and called him by his first name several times. As they jawboned, the caller said he was with my father's credit card company and wanted to verify his Social Security number and date of birth. Yes, my father gave it to him over the phone. My father thought of it as a lark, an interesting phonecall and we went ballistic on him, telling him to NEVER give personal information over the phone to ANYONE. Fortunately (to the best of our knowledge), nothing happened to his accounts, but we can't be sure as he's protective of his information WITH US.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Yeah, that is the most traditional way of acquiring the numbers.

But everyone has been touched by it with these large computer data thefts. They even stole records from an children's orthopedic hospital! Now why would they do that if it weren't to steal the identifies of children!

[Schema Thing]

2. This happened to me this year... they filed for a $9,900 return

I've actually suspected someone I know because I've been a couple of years behind in filing - as if someone was just doing it to harm me with the IRS, not to actually get the check (they were not successful).

But now I'm thinking I just got caught up in one of these scam operations. I still am amazed that I haven't had any other credit fraud perpetrated against me though. They obviously have all my info.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. The authorities told my dad that it's become a mafia like operation.

[Schema Thing]

5. It frightens me to think how much it is costing us in loss.

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Exactly. This is a bleeder.