Thread: Family Arrested in Sophisticated Identity Theft Scam

Family Arrested in Sophisticated Identity Theft Scam

Updated: Thursday, 22 Sep 2011, 9:54 PM MST
Published : Thursday, 22 Sep 2011, 9:54 PM MST

LAVEEN - They appeared to be living a middle class life. A 3,500 square foot house in Laveen, they were able to get loans and legitimate Arizona driver's licenses. But DPS says it was all a scam.

All three members of the family were this country illegally and it's how they did it that has investigators concerned.

DPS says they stole the identities of people in Puerto Rico, and were able to get drivers licenses. Once they got those they were free to go anywhere in the U.S., find work and settle down, but investigators say they continued to break the law.

Francisco Castro, Cintia Corrall, and Francis Castro all got their identities from unsuspecting victims in Puerto Rico.

"It gives the complete authorization to work and to reside anywhere and to move anywhere in the country," says DPS Capt. Fred Zumbo.

Investigators say Francis Castro stole the identity of her 14-year-old daughter so she could get a mortgage and buy a house in Laveen.

"How that happened with all the checks and balances we don't know. But we are continuing that investigation," says Zumbo.

Investigators believe the three would go to banks, take out loans, then default on those loans.

"This is not your typical people walking through the desert, this is sophisticated criminal activity on the part of people who are not supposed to be here in this country."

Illegally obtaining Puerto Rican IDs and using them to get into the U.S. is common in the southeast, especially in Florida.

"We haven't seen it here in Arizona. We heard that it was happening. Now that we are seeing that it is becoming a trend."

Federal investigators were able to speak with the people in Puerto Rico who had their identities stolen. The victims had no idea.

The suspects are facing charges of Aggravated Identity Theft, Forgery and Residential Mortgage Fraud.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/cr ... -9-22-2011

Investigators say Francis Castro stole the identity of her 14-year-old daughter so she could get a mortgage and buy a house

Nobody questioned a 14 year old buying a house

Originally Posted by grandmasmad

Investigators say Francis Castro stole the identity of her 14-year-old daughter so she could get a mortgage and buy a house

Nobody questioned a 14 year old buying a house

Of course they wouldn't, that would be racial profiling.