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Stolen Identity

By Kathy Brock
December 16, 2005 - ABC7 has been investigating an illegal immigrant who, with a stolen Social Security number, built an entire life. The credit of the woman whose identity was stolen is in turmoil.


Esperanza Hernandez works seven days a week to make ends meet, because her credit is shot. Records show someone used Esperanza's Social Security number to open numerous credit card accounts, buy a Ford Expedition and to buy a house in 2003.
"It really hurts my mom to be in this problem right now. Especially, you know, she pretty much works all week," said Hernandez's son translating for her.

"Little by little her credit report is not becoming her anymore. It's now becoming this lady," said Susan Sanchez, signature real estate real estate agent. Esperanza's real estate agent discovered the problems on a credit report last March when Esperanza went to buy a home.

"It seems the victims are the ones who have to go through all the turmoil to straighten this out," Sanchez said.

Esperanza and her real estate agent wrote dozens of letters, called Ford motor credit and the mortgage company that financed the house.

"It's hard to sleep at night. It's hard every day," said Hernandez.

They even called the Cook County state's attorney who told them to call the Calumet Park police, where Esperanza Hernandez lived at the time. They filled out a police report, but say they have gotten nowhere.

Yet it took ABC7 just one day to find a woman at the home listed under Esperanza's Social Security number, the Ford Expedition parked outside.

The woman says her name is Maria Hernandez, the same last name as Esperanza Hernandez, but the two are not related. Maria told an ABC7 producer that she is an illegal immigrant and claims to have bought the Social Security number on the streets of Chicago for $1,800.

"He said it was a good number," said Maria Hernandez. "I said, 'You sure? Because it's a lot of money. I need money for my son and me,' so I need money and I am working nights and days for pay."

Maria's son made sure that Maria understood the questions being asked her by translating.

"They said the security number could help her to work, to buy houses, get credit cards and get a life, but she did not know it was somebody else's," said Juan Hernandez, Maria's son.

Even though Maria has the same last name as Esperanza, the documents we obtained show Maria used her own first name on the home loan application.

"To buy a home in somebody else's Social, there is so much documentation and so much that has to be done before you sign the papers," Sanchez said.

According to the title company who closed on the loan, a broker from a company called Chicago Funding processed the loan and sold it to Fremont Investment and Loan. Neither company responded to our repeated calls. We did stop by Fremont's regional office in Downers Grove, but the firm had no comment.

As for the Expedition, a Ford motor credit spokesperson says the company has investigated and now believes the SUV was purchased with fraudulent information. Action is being taken to clear Esperanza's credit.

On the phone, a Calumet Park police commander said he was baffled as to why this case was never pursued. He said it must have fallen through the cracks, but the Calumet Park police are now investigating.

Because of what we discovered, the Cook County state's attorney and the Illinois attorney general's office are now investigating.

There are ways to protect yourself from credit fraud. Experts say you should check your credit report once every four months. Under federal law you can get one free credit check a year from each of the three companies that do it.

You should also shred documents with personal information and avoid giving your Social Security number when you don't have to.


ABC7 News Team

Kathy Brock, News Anchor and Reporter, ABC 7 News