Companies embarrassed when illegal alien is arrested for child identity theft

September 23rd, 2010 12:26 am MT

Orem, Utah police arrested a 26 year old man on September 20, 2010 for purchasing and using a child’s Social Security number to obtain employment.

The child’s parents had learned that their child was a victim of identity fraud while seeking assistance from Utah Workforce Services which manages a wide range of programs including financial (cash), Food Stamps and/or child care assistance programs.

According to press reports, Martin Estrada-Urcino, 26, told police that he purchased the number eight years ago when he illegally entered the United States. This is such a common practice that the Social Security Administration estimates that 75% of illegal aliens use fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers which is a felony.

Mr. Estrada-Urcino subsequently used the fraudulently obtained number to unlawfully get jobs. He defrauded his employers by professing to be legally in the United States and he committed perjury on his I-9 forms (felony). Finally, he committed identity fraud by using another person’s Social Security number and this is a major felony under Utah law.

An investigation revealed that he had earned approximately $10,000 from Layton Roofing Company and $2,400 from Brady Roofing in 2010 under the child’s Social Security number.

The fraudulent use of a Social Security number can cause extremely serious harm to the owner of the number. The person’s good name will be ruined. Her credit may be destroyed and she may be saddled with arrest records. Medical records can be compromised with life threatening consequences.

A child may be denied financial aid and scholarships seriously damaging her educational opportunities and she may be denied internships and jobs based on records wrongfully attached to her social security number. In some cases, critically required medical care may be denied.

When contacted, both companies expressed concern that they had employed someone using a child’s identifying information.

Since July 1, 2009, contractors with public employers in Utah have been required to be enrolled in and to use E-Verify or a similar status verification program. Since July 1, 2010, all Utah employers with 15 or more employees are required to use E-Verify or a similar status verification program for all new hires in order to protect children from job-related identity theft.

Other companies are strongly encouraged to use a status verification system in order to avoid the embarrassment and loss of goodwill that comes about when they are found to be employing a person using a child’s identity.

Layton Roofing is currently enrolled in and using E-Verify; however, Mr. Estrada-Urcino was apparently hired prior to the time the company began using E-Verify. Since it is unlawful to use E-Verify to check current employees, Layton Roofing was unaware of his misuse of a Social Security number.

A Layton Roofing employee reported that the company is extremely satisfied with E-Verify. Most new hires are quickly approved by the system, however, the Social Security numbers presented by a number of new employees were returned as tentative non-confirmations. When the individuals were given the opportunity to correct the situation, they made no attempt to do so and never returned to work.

According to Brady Roofing, Mr. Estrada-Urcino was hired before Utah’s E-Verify requirement entered into force on July 1, 2010. The company has not hired new staff since July 1 and is now in the process of enrolling in E-Verify.

The work of the Orem police force was notable given the tendency of many of the state’s police departments to ignore job-related, identity fraud cases.

The department’s Public Information Officer, Sgt. Martinez, indicated that the Orem police have always actively pursued identity theft cases. As a fraud investigator, it was not unusual for him to handle a dozen cases a month with the vast majority involving illegal aliens using the Social Security numbers of people residing outside of Utah.

According to Sgt. Martinez, Utah Workforce Services is very responsive and is required to provide information because the use of a Social Security number that belongs to another person is a felony under Utah law.

A future article will look at what employers can do to identify current employees who are using Social Security numbers belonging to Utah children and other American citizens and legal residents.


http://www.examiner.com/immigration-in- ... tity-theft