Talk about brazen. Eight people have been indicted in federal court in an identity theft ring. Their victims include a former chairman of the Utah State Board of Pardons and two Salt Lake County deputy attorneys.
According to court documents, eight Salt Lake City residents used computer check-making software to create what appeared to be payroll checks. Company logos were scanned out of telephone directories while the signatures of state prosecutors among others were scanned off court documents to "sign" the phony checks. Federal agents estimate that the group cashed some $50,000 in checks.
In an unrelated federal case, a Bountiful man is accused of using an inactivated credit card stolen in a burglary. Prosecutors say the defendant used the victim's Social Security card to activate the card, then rang up $70,000 in charges, including the purchase of a 3.17 carat diamond ring worth $56,511.
These episodes point out two important aspects of identify theft — no one is immune to the crime and identity thieves deploy multiple strategies to perpetrate these frauds.
The good news is, the federal, state and local Utah Identity Theft Task Force is getting results. Its efforts, managed by the FBI, are protecting Utahns by connecting the dots between cases in different jurisdictions.
These cases are yet another reminder for Utahns to carefully guard their personal information, financial information, mail and Social Security numbers.
Utahns should be wary of telephone or Internet requests for personal or financial information. Social Security numbers or account numbers should not be revealed to unknown parties.
Everyone should keep close tabs on their mail. Bills that are paid by check should be dropped at the post office or in U.S. Postal Service boxes. Mail should not be allowed to accumulate while one is away from home.
Mail that contains personal information such as account statements, receipts and forms should be shredded. This is particularly true of credit card application forms. Bank, credit union and credit card statements should be carefully reviewed each month.
One of the best methods of detecting fraud is obtaining a credit report. This should be done annually to ensure there are no inaccuracies or inconsistencies. All Americans are entitled to one free report each year. (Visit www.annualcreditreport.com for more information.)
Many times, identity thieves prey on those closest to them. The elderly are especially vulnerable to these frauds. Children of aging parents need to caution seniors about these possibilities and teach them how to guard their personal information, bank and credit accounts. As bad as it is for a stranger to take these liberties, imagine the sense of betrayal when one family member steals from another.