A news story today reported that an identity thief who created multiple false identities for himself received a 5 year jail sentence.
"Using the names, dates of birth, and
Social Security numbers of these deceased persons, JIMENEZ applied for, and
fraudulently obtained, a U.S. passport, Massachusetts’ Driver’s License, bank
accounts at Citizens Bank and TD Banknorth, and telephone service from
Verizon."
This story perfectly exemplifies why it’s important to monitor what’s shown in public records, such as utilities and the DMV. A fraud monitoring service, such as the one from our partner Identity Guard, can compile data that appears in these public records – which you don’t get by monitoring credit reports.
You could potentially check on the public records yourself, but that would take a lot of work. If you’ve undertaken investigating public records on your own please tell us what your experience was like and any tips.
Identity theft can happen to anyone. Previously, criminals stole your wallet for your cash. Now they want your wallet to steal your good name. Protect yourself and your identity. visit http://www.id-fraud.net for safety tips