Beware of Identity Theft When Filing Your Taxes
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — With the start of the tax filing season just around the corner, the IRS is on alert for rising cases of identity theft and tax fraud. Many taxpayers can become victims if they are not very careful about protecting th…
Debit Card Thieves Ship Shopping Spree to Victims
iStockPhoto/Thinkstock(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) — When Chris and Susie Linford of Anchorage, Alaska, found out that their bank account was drained of nearly $5,000 without their knowledge, they were stunned.“We had our debit card on us the whole time,…
GAO Report: Alarming Rise in IRS Refund ID Thefts, Few Prosecuted
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — A new government report charts an alarming rise in tax return refund identity thefts and finds that few of the thefts are even investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).The U.S. Government Accountability O…
Nationwide Utility Bill Scam Spreads to Midwest
Fuse/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Utility companies in the Midwest are warning customers of an ongoing con that has already affected thousands on the West and East Coast in which a scammer claims households are eligible for an energy credit offered by Presi…
One in 10 Children Are Victims of Identity Theft, Report Finds
Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Children are increasingly becoming the preferred target of identity thieves, authorities say.“We’ve seen children have this crime begin as early as five months old and then it goes on for years,” said …
Iowa Student Presents Bouncer’s Stolen ID
Johnson County Sheriff’s Department(IOWA CITY, Iowa) — A 19-year-old University of Iowa student reportedly picked the wrong person to fool with a fake ID.Steven Fiorella waited in line outside of The Union Bar in Iowa City as a bouncer checked drivers…
Tax Return Theft: How to Safeguard Your Refund
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — It is a day dreaded by most Americans, the day taxes are due, but for hundreds of thousands of taxpayers it’s just the beginning of a nightmare where they discover Social Security numbers have been stolen and f…
Prosecutor: Mental Health Worker Stole Patients’ IDs to File False Tax Returns
Suffolk County DA(NEW YORK) — A New York man used his job at the Long Island Head Injury Association to steal the identities of dozens of patients disabled by head trauma in a crime that went undetected for years, prosecutors said Monday.Benjamin Acha…
California Man Poses as Woman for 13 Years, Accused of Identity Theft
Orange County Sheriff’s Department(SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.) — A man accused of stealing and using a woman’s identity for 13 years has been arrested — but not before racking up thousands of dollars in medical bills and creating a living nightm…
Fake Sex Ads Land Ex-Boyfriend in Slammer
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office(PORTLAND, Ore.) — An Oregon man landed in jail earlier this week after allegedly posing as his pregnant ex-girlfriend and posting sex ads on Craigslist.Andre Flom, 31, posed as his ex-girlfriend and posted her name, a…
Teen Accused of Stealing Identity of Senior White House Official
Medioimages/Photodisc/Thinkstock(ATLANTA) — A Georgia teenager is facing felony charges after investigators say he unknowingly stole the Social Security number of a senior White House official and tried to apply for a credit card.Austin Townsend, 17, …