Identity Theft Victims: One's a Catcher and One Caught Her Own Identity Thief
|
Last year over 8 million people in the United States had their identities stolen. Just how many were pitchers for the Florida Marlins? Better yet, how many had a "hands on" role in catching their identity thief? This has been an interesting week in identity theft news.
This week in Arizona state police made a traffic stop on a Phoenix freeway after observing a low tire. The driver produced a license with the name Enrique Calero Carrion. The 41-year-old, driver, Oscar Corral was arrested for identity theft after officers learned that the Puerto Rican driver's license was fake and he also produced a forged social security card. Corral was later identified through fingerprints and a criminal history check.
Never heard of Enrique Calero Carrion? Only a handful more seemed to have heard of the Florida Marlins right handed relief pitcher Kiko Calero. Enrique Calero Carrion is the full name of the RHP.
The real Calero learned of the arrest from his agent while in New York on Thursday and spoke about the incident on Friday before the three-game series against the Nationals.
Calero explained that in 2000, while still in his native Puerto Rico, that his wallet containing his driver's license and credit cards was stolen. Calero cancelled his credit cards and got a new license but did not change his social security number. In Spanish, Kiko Calero explained, "I didn't think anything would happen."
Credit checks show that no one has tried to take out any loans in Calero's name but still he's concerned.
"Everything is fine, but who knows?" Calero said. "There can be a bunch of people who also bought [the copies]."
In July, a similar incident occurred in Illinois. A man produced a stolen license during a traffic stop that belonged to Miami Dolphins top draft pick Vontae Davis. Vontae Davis had also had his wallet stolen.
Of course you don't have to be a professional athlete to have your identity stolen and a Seattle customer service rep from J.C. Penny shows you don't have to be a superstar to catch your identity thief either. Not many people can count on having this kind of a Freaky Friday experience either.
Michelle McCambridge, 23, became the victim of identity theft in January. When a woman approached McCambridge at the customer service desk where she worked and tried to open a credit card account using McCambridge's own identity, she kept her cool and ultimately helped police break up a ring of identity thieves.
McCambridge was able to stay composed and alert store security. They couldn't arrest her identity immediately but they were able to get surveillance video that led to several arrests for victimizing at least 39 people. "Out of how many customer-service desks, out of how many registers she could have gone to, and she had to come to me?" McCambridge said. "It was fate."
"I'm very proud of her," said Joseph Velling, a special agent for the Social Security Administration. "It was heroic."
Traffic stops seem to be one way identity thieves are caught these days. Not so many are walking right up to their victims and admitting their guilt. I have to wonder, was Michelle McCambridge wearing a name tag?
Posted by Lisa Carey on September 19, 2009 10:29 PM | Permalink
Digg It!
|
[ Add to Onlywire]
|
Comments on Identity Theft Victims: One's a Catcher and One Caught Her Own Identity Thief
« Personal Antivirus a Scary Scam and Software |
Main
| The U.S. Census & Your Rights »
