Thread: CA. man steals immigrants identities

Man faces charges in stolen-ID case

SACRAMENTO – A Northern California man has been charged with helping to start what authorities say was a nationwide scheme in which stolen identities were used to make millions in purchases.

Federal prosecutors said Jerry Van Le, who lives in Lincoln, a bedroom community near Sacramento, stole Social Security numbers from about 25 children, immigrants and others who hadn't established credit.

Le, 30, is charged with bank, wire and computer fraud. At a federal court hearing yesterday, he was freed until an April 16 preliminary hearing. Secret Service agents stated in court papers that Le got the numbers through his work as a mortgage broker. It also says Le sold Social Security numbers to “numerousâ€

California man charged in identity theft ring

By DON THOMPSON Associated Press Writer
Mar 27th, 2009 | SACRAMENTO --

A man has been accused of using stolen Social Security numbers to buy a new home, vehicles and electronics, and then selling the information to others in a multimillion-dollar identity theft ring.

Jerry Van Le, 30, did not enter a plea to charges of bank, wire and computer fraud during an initial appearance Friday in federal court in Sacramento. He was freed until an April 16 preliminary hearing.

An affidavit filed Wednesday accused Le of stealing Social Security numbers from about 25 children, immigrants and others who had not yet established credit, through his work as a mortgage broker.

Using the stolen numbers, Le obtained loans to buy five vehicles, a nearly $500,000 home in a bedroom community about 30 miles northeast of Sacramento, and electronic and luxury items including "shoes and other clothing still in original boxes and packaging," the affidavit states.

Le also was accused of selling Social Security numbers to "numerous" others nationwide for between $3,500 and $6,000 each.

Placer County Sheriff's Detective Jim Hudson said investigators believe about 2,400 individuals nationwide made purchases using fraudulent credit they obtained from Le and others over the last 18 months.

"It is a $100 million ring," said Lauren Horwood, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Sacramento.

The affidavit said employees at Highway Furniture/New York Funding Group Inc. in Hempstead, N.Y., used the stolen Social Security numbers to create fake credit histories that helped with the purchases. The company's telephone number has been disconnected and no one associated with the business could be reached for comment.

Le is the only one charged, though authorities said the investigation was ongoing.

His attorney, Mark Axup of Sacramento, declined comment Friday.

http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/0 ... eft_calif/

These days it is "keep your friends close, enemies closer and your identity in a subterranean hole with a nine-digit combination lock."
These days thieves can sit in parking lots with a computer and steal your credit/debit card number from the air after you swipe your card.
I don't know how my credit card number was stolen, but early last year Amex e-mailed there was an $800plus charge for something called exoticphone.com, which I assume is some sort of sex line. I usually don't like stores knowing or the credit cards knowing my shopping patterns, but thank goodness they did.