Archive for the ‘Identity Theft’ Category

Identity Theft Lands Businessman in Court

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January 16th, 2012

Alleged victim loses everything

The trial starts Thursday of a down-on-his-luck businessman Norman Glass, who stole another man’s identity and made millions selling his victim’s assets to unsuspecting buyers.

Get-rich-quick scheme

About six months ago Glass cooked up a get-rich-quick scheme after hearing about an American living in the UK, who owned a building lot as well as an apartment on 14^th Street. He began by assuming the identity of the property owner, a man named Kalev. Glass grew a beard and acquired a cane, a cap and the gait of a man 26 years his senior. He then created the documents that would enable Glass to present himself as Kalev. He began spending time outside the latter’s apartment building, where he collected Kalev’s mail and absorbed whatever information he could find. He used a computer to create a high-quality forgery of Kalev’s official identity card using Kalev’s personal information and his own photograph.

Sells Apartment

Next, according to Glass’s charge sheet, he placed an advertisement for Kalev’s apartment on an online classified-ads site, for $450,000. He also listed the lot with real estate agents and asked a prominent law firm to help him dispose of the property. At that point Glass also announced that he also had an apartment he wanted to sell. A man who is identified in Glass’s indictment only as D went for the bait. He was nearing retirement after working for the past 40 years at an engineering company where he was on the staff of a missile project. D and his wife met Glass at the upscale law office. There, in the presence of attorneys and real estate agents, a contract was signed. No one knew that Glass was not Kalev, the property’s real owner.

Payment

D agreed to give Glass 90 percent of the payment as soon as the property deed was assigned to him, and to pay the balance after the property development fees were paid.

The next day, Glass went alone to the Registry Office, carrying Kalev’s ID card and copies of the notarial seals used the previous day on the deed of sale: Glass had had them duplicated at a stationery store. No one at the registry office questioned his credentials, and he registered the lot to D and his wife. Afterward, as promised, D paid Glass from his retirement savings, in cash.

The police

A week or so later, as D waited for Glass to call and tell him the sale was completed, the near-retiree instead got a call from Superintendent Ross of the police fraud unit. Ross summoned D and his wife to unit headquarters where he told them: "We think you are victims of a sting. You purchased a lot from a con artist who impersonated Kalev," Ross explained. In addition, the real Kalev filed a police complaint over the theft of the property. D and his wife were overwhelmed. "I felt as if my world had crashed around me. After 40 years of work, that was all the money I had and suddenly they tell me I’m left with nothing. They asked me to point out the man in the picture and all at once many things became clear. I am simply lost," said D.

Error

Glass, the police say, made one fatal error in his perfect sting: Somehow, one of the documents he gave the lawyers contained his real name. Fraud squad detectives created a sting of their own, stringing him along and arranging for a meeting at the law office, where he was arrested. In a search of Glass’s home after his arrest, police officers found the cap, the cane and eyeglasses he wore to the contract-signing at the lawyers’ office.

Glass denied any connection to the affair and claimed that someone framed him. The police have not found the money that D paid Glass, who owns no property that could be seized in order to repay D.

Be alert! Don’t be a victim!

Tags: Apartment purchase, identity theft, Property deals, Sting
Posted in Assurance / Insurance, Business, Credit Cards, Economy, Employment, Finance, Identity Theft, Personal / Internet, Retirement | No Comments »

If You Have Taken a Payday Loan, Watch Out For Scammers

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August 29th, 2011

Beware of payday loan collection scams

The latest disaster, hurricane Irene, will cause yet another national expense and will no doubt lead to new and unexpected financial hardships in some areas. As it is, many of us in this tight economy are living from paycheck to paycheck. Payday loans can be a helping hand for people living close to their means when unforeseen expenses occur. As usual the scammers are out there, circling like vultures and ready to take advantage of those already financially stressed people with threatening phone calls, trying to bully them into paying non-existent debts.

Lenders are bound by laws

Legitimate payday loan companies offer small, short-term loans for people who wish to borrow against their next paycheck. However, when collection becomes an issue, these lenders are bound by laws. They are not allowed to harass their debtors, nor can they threaten arrest or jail.

Scammers

In February, Maria Brown of Houston, Texas, contacted authorities reporting scammers. “They contacted me and really had me believe I was going to jail for check fraud,” Brown said. She had taken out payday loans before the calls, and the scammers seemed to have access to those applications. They sounded legitimate because of the information they possessed about her. Brown realized she was being scammed.

Warnings

Consumeraffairs.com warns of a North Carolina caller described as “having a thick accent” who has been harassing North Carolina consumers for “a couple of years now.” The man uses abusive language and threats to frighten consumers into paying phantom debts with their credit cards. Arizona’s Attorney General’s office reported a similar scam in May. Callers claimed to be from fictitious law firms or government agencies and threatened legal action if the victims didn’t pay money owed on payday loans.

Watch out for these companies

Scammers claim they represent real companies that they are not actually affiliated with, or they may use fictitious company names. Beware of callers who say they represent Morgan & Associates, Federal Bureau of Investigators, DNR Recovery, DNI Recovery, Legal Accounts Association, Department of Law and Enforcement, Cash or ACS.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors are not allowed to threaten arrest if you can’t pay. There is no law in the U.S. that allows arrest for unpaid loans. Collectors are also not allowed to harass, annoy or threaten any kind of violence. It is also a crime to falsely represent oneself as a lawyer.

What to do if targeted

Consumers who receive these calls should never verify personal information over the telephone. Ask for written proof of the debt, which is something legitimate collectors are required to supply. Suspicious consumers may also wish to check their credit report to be sure there have been no unauthorized credit card purchases or loans taken out in their name. Report any suspicious or threatening calls to the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau and your state Attorney General’s office.

Tags: debt collectors, Debts, Fraud, Payday Loans, Repayments
Posted in Advance Cash Loan, Economy, Finance, Identity Theft, Loans, Payday Loans | No Comments »

Do Not Keep These in Your Wallet

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July 29th, 2011

You are at risk for identity theft every day

We all make sure we’ve got our keys, wallet and phone before we head out the door, but more often than not, we are carrying things that are better left at home. Some items we carry on a daily basis can be virtually impossible to replace and others may leave us at risk for identity theft in the event of loss.

Social Security Card

“You don’t really need it," says Maria Lin, editor-in-chief at Learnvest. If your Social Security card gets in the wrong hands, someone could open a credit card, apply for a loan, or even buy a car with the information. It’s nine digits, just memorize it.

Passport

If you’re traveling leave your passport in the hotel safe. Keep a photocopy in your wallet for identification along with your driver’s license. If you’re traveling in the U.S., use your driver’s license instead. "Your passport is the primo document for your identity and if someone gets a hold of it, you can really put yourself at risk for identity theft," says Lin.

Passwords/Pass codes

Do not write them down. If you absolutely can’t remember important pass codes, store them digitally on a password-protected phone, but never write them down and leave them in your wallet or purse.

Non-Password Protected Phones

Today, many people have smart phones that allow them instant access to bank accounts, PayPal accounts, medical records, and more. Even if your phone only accesses e-mail, a thief could easily search for banking or ATM passwords or addresses, according to Lin. "Think about all the things you have digitally stored on your phone. You have to have it behind password protection. This way a thief can still erase your phone’s memory and use it for themselves, but they won’t have access to your data."

Checkbook

"Your checkbook has your bank account number and routing number on it, your address, and possibly imprints of your signature," says Lin. Lin says, “if you know you’re going to need to write a check one day, peel off one check and take it with you. Don’t get into the habit of carrying your checkbook with you all the time. You want to prevent someone’s ability to just start writing out your blank checks and cashing them."

Credit Cards

"A lot of people put all their cards in their wallet and carry them at all times," says Lin. "But if your wallet gets lost or stolen, that means you’re going to have to sit and cancel every single one, and wait a week without any credit cards before you receive a replacement." Only carry the one or two cards you use on a daily basis and leave the others at home.

Cash

For people on a "cash diet," Lin recommends carrying only as much cash to cover the day’s expenses.

USB Devices

USB devices such as a disk-on-key can be bad news in the hands of thieves if they contain confidential files. I bought a large capacity disk-on-key the other day and backed up my computer onto it. I carry it on the ring with my car keys. Mistake!

Tags: Credit card security, ID theft, Pass codes, Pin numbers, Wallet
Posted in Credit Cards, Economy, Finance, Identity Theft, Money, Personal / Internet | No Comments »

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