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Woman Frustrated with Identity Theft
Reported by April Norris
DECEMBER 7, 2004 - Stealing identities, it's the fastest growing crime in the country. And it's keeping one woman from getting a loan to help buy her two little girl's Christmas presents.
23 year-old Cynthia Pedraza learned someone was using her social security number five years ago.She was young and didn't think much of it, but now she's on an emotional roller coaster trying to repair her name and credit.
Cynthia breaks down from all the frustration. She says every Christmas she and her husband take out a small loan to help buy presents for their little girls.
"We're depending on that money, it hurts."
But, tough times have prompted her four year-old to offer money from her piggy bank.
"She tells us, daddy if you need money, it's in here, my heart broke, it broke."
The reason for all the heartache, someone stole Cynthia's identity and her credit is ruined. Last year, the IRS sent her bills claiming she owed almost five-thousand dollars in back taxes.
"They were coming out North Carolina, Mount Erie, they were giving a lot of out of state W-2 forms and I never lived, I've never gone out of state but once when I was like eight."
That's when Cynthia started doing her own investigating. She found out a woman has been using her information to get jobs and spent $60,000 for down payments on three homes.
Cynthia has also learned where the woman lives and works. But Harlingen detective William Bilokury says arresting the suspect won't be easy.
"There's the reality of this situation, I would love to be able to drive over to the airport and jump on a plane on everyone one of these identity cases that I have and fly out to all these states, but realistically speaking we don't have the budget for that."
He says Harlingen police average about two hundred identity cases a year, and those are only the ones reported.
"It's just a lot of reality is hitting me in the face, I know there's a lot of people going through the same probably bigger probably worse."
The out of state authorities tell Action Four News they will question the suspect Wednesday. If she doesn't fess up to who she really is, they'll arrest her for falsely identifying herself to an officer which is a misdemeanor.
The officer says the most her bond will be set at five hundred dollars and if she makes bond, they fear she may skip town.
Woman Frustrated with Identity TheftTeam 4 News - Harlingen,TX,USA... heart broke, it broke.". The reason for all the heartache, someone stole Cynthia's identity and her credit is ruined. Last year, the ...
http://www.team4news.com/Global/story.asp?S=2663282&nav=0w0vTwxZ
George Schmidt
Reported by April Norris
DECEMBER 7, 2004 - Stealing identities, it's the fastest growing crime in the country. And it's keeping one woman from getting a loan to help buy her two little girl's Christmas presents.
23 year-old Cynthia Pedraza learned someone was using her social security number five years ago.She was young and didn't think much of it, but now she's on an emotional roller coaster trying to repair her name and credit.
Cynthia breaks down from all the frustration. She says every Christmas she and her husband take out a small loan to help buy presents for their little girls.
"We're depending on that money, it hurts."
But, tough times have prompted her four year-old to offer money from her piggy bank.
"She tells us, daddy if you need money, it's in here, my heart broke, it broke."
The reason for all the heartache, someone stole Cynthia's identity and her credit is ruined. Last year, the IRS sent her bills claiming she owed almost five-thousand dollars in back taxes.
"They were coming out North Carolina, Mount Erie, they were giving a lot of out of state W-2 forms and I never lived, I've never gone out of state but once when I was like eight."
That's when Cynthia started doing her own investigating. She found out a woman has been using her information to get jobs and spent $60,000 for down payments on three homes.
Cynthia has also learned where the woman lives and works. But Harlingen detective William Bilokury says arresting the suspect won't be easy.
"There's the reality of this situation, I would love to be able to drive over to the airport and jump on a plane on everyone one of these identity cases that I have and fly out to all these states, but realistically speaking we don't have the budget for that."
He says Harlingen police average about two hundred identity cases a year, and those are only the ones reported.
"It's just a lot of reality is hitting me in the face, I know there's a lot of people going through the same probably bigger probably worse."
The out of state authorities tell Action Four News they will question the suspect Wednesday. If she doesn't fess up to who she really is, they'll arrest her for falsely identifying herself to an officer which is a misdemeanor.
The officer says the most her bond will be set at five hundred dollars and if she makes bond, they fear she may skip town.
Woman Frustrated with Identity TheftTeam 4 News - Harlingen,TX,USA... heart broke, it broke.". The reason for all the heartache, someone stole Cynthia's identity and her credit is ruined. Last year, the ...
http://www.team4news.com/Global/story.asp?S=2663282&nav=0w0vTwxZ
George Schmidt
posted by Unknown | 11:10 AM
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