More people are stealing IDs to get health care, report says

More people are using stolen identities so they can get health care, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. I've seen a handful of cases like this over the past year or so. Until now, most identity thefts have strictly had a cash motive -- the bad guys usually went on shopping sprees, not hospital visits. Some med centers are fighting back by requiring palm and retina scans from patients.

The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association estimates up to half a million people have had their identity stolen for medical services. The Washington-based organization calls medical ID theft an “escalating crime,” part of an estimated $68 billion lost annually to health-care fraud.

Plot to pose as West Virginia governor undone by poor spelling, grammar, cops say

A West Virginia man is accused of an identity-theft scam where he encouraged people online to send job applications (and their personal information) to him so they could be considered for government jobs in West Virginia, police say. As part of his alleged ruse, he hired a Chicago man to mail letters to the applicants -- letters that were apparently from the governor himself.

Only something wasn't quite right:

It lacked the governor's seal and was riddled with misspellings and grammatical errors.

"It's nice to have you as an employee of West Virginia," the letter said. "Your super (boss) Matt talk a lot of thangs about you. I hope you stay with us a long time. If you got ? please ask Matt."

Wisconsin woman put her ex-BF's profile in Craigslist's men-seeking-men section

She's going to write a nice apology letter and perform about 40 hours of community service.

UPDATE on JoCo ID theft case

From JoCo Sheriff: Sheriff’s Deputies made an additional arrest today in the identity theft sting at Engineered Air that netted eight arrests on January 09, 2009 and an additional arrest at a residence in Olathe.

The person arrested is Arturo Rios Morales. He was arrested on Identification Theft after deputies received information he would be in De Soto today. Mr. Morales should be formally charged tomorrow. This brings the total number of arrests to 10 in this case.

Bay Area subway cop charged with murder after shooting man in the back

This is the case back from New Year's, when a man named Oscar Grant was arrested and lying facedown on the platform when an officer shot him in the back, killing him.

Some hypothesized that the officer slipped, got nervous, maybe mistook his gun for his Taser. But a lot of protesters said it had to be murder. And now the DA agrees -- he's bringing a second-degree murder charge.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!

JoCo arrests 9 in identity theft bust

From JoCo Sheriff: After an investigation which began in October, deputies arrested seven people on charges of Identity Theft and an additional two were arrested on charges of Dealing in False Identification Documents.

The arrests of eight individuals were made at Engineered Air in De Soto, Kansas shortly after 8:00 a.m. this morning. Seven individuals will be booked into Johnson County Jail on charges of Identity Theft and one on the Charge of Dealing in False Identification Documents and are awaiting their formal charges. One additional person was arrested in Olathe and booked on the charges of Dealing in False Identification Documents.

... Those arrested are: Benito Dominguez and Jose Dominguez, who are father and son, were arrested for Dealing in False Identification. The following people were all arrested for Identification Theft: Claudia Romero Victor Alfonso Hernandez-Dominguez, Aristeo Cruz Benito, Ricardo Santos-Santos, Luis Gerardo Haro-Gonzalez, David Hernandez-Luna, Misael Cruz-Nicolas.

Authorities find dead infant in 60 tons of garbage

Story is from the Tacoma, Wash., paper, where authorities have arrested a 16-year-old girl for allegedly drowning her newborn in a toilet and setting his body out with the trash. Her dad is also facing charges now.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!

Investigators from the Port Angeles police, Pierce County Sheriff's Dept. , Tacoma Police and the Washington State Patrol's Crime lab watch as Pierce County coroners retrieve the body of a baby from 60 tons of garbage at LRI landfill in Graham, Wash. Monday Jan. 5, 2009. Port Angeles Police Chief Terry Gallagher said it could take weeks to get the DNA test results that will show whether the baby is that of the teenager arrested Friday for investigation of first- or second-degree murder. (AP Photo/The News Tribune, Dean J. Koepfler)

UPDATE on the Lady Hot-Tub Electrocution Killers

A while back, we mentioned that Tina Loesch and Skye Hanson, two women accused of masterminding a murder by electrified hot tub, were going to be featured on America's Most Wanted. They'd been on the run for 10 years. Less than two hours after the show aired, their bodies were found in Tucson, Ariz. Police are calling it a double suicide.

Wendy Brown

Brown is the Wisconsin mother accused of stealing her daughter's ID so Mom could join the local high school's cheerleading squad and "live the childhood that she never had." (Daughter was living with Grandma in another state.) Mom is 33.

457-55-5462

Remember LifeLock? That's the identity-protection company that launched a major ad campaign featuring -- Ta-Da! -- their CEO's Social Security number. (Posted above!) The obvious message being, we're so confident of our service that we'll even put our OWN Social out there for public consumption.

Except that somebody has managed to misuse those digits after all. The company says there was at least one breach; critics say it's something closer to 20. LifeLock is now facing a class-action lawsuit, saying its ad campaign overpromised.

Saw this via QuizLaw!

Young lovahs stole IDs to finance jet-setting lifestyle, police say

This is an update of a story we had a few months ago from Philly. A young couple, Jocelyn Kirsch, 22, and Edward K. Anderton, 25, allegedly stole $120K through identity theft, which let them travel the globe and buy things that God did not intend for 20-somethings to be able to afford. Authorities say Kirsch and Anderton have signed plea deals.

Hat Tip: Many thanks to the Invincible Golfer!

In this undated photo released by the Philadelphia Police Department, shown is Jocelyn Kirsch,and Edward Anderton of Everett Wash. Kirsch, and Anderton, accused of stealing the identities of more than 16 people to live expensively and travel the world in style have agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, an attorney said Monday may 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Philadelphia Police Department, HO, File)

IA woman used stolen credit card to pay court fines, police say

Ah, stupid crooks, I've missed you ...

Dumb criminals du jour

Why would you steal someone's backpack, then their identity, then show up at their front door? (Yes, these suspects got caught.)

Hat tip: Thanks, eephus!

| Sara Shepherd

Identity thief charged $100K in three days at Target, Home Depot

Sharlita Y. Proctor, 31, of Vallejo, Calif., is getting three years, five months for her part in a credit card scheme. She flew to Kansas City last summer and used stolen credit-card numbers to buy nearly $100K in electronics and gift cards at Target, Home Depot and other businesses -- in three days, U.S. Attorney John Wood's office reports.

KC woman stole customer info from OP bank for identity-theft scheme, authorities allege

A grand jury has indicted two Kansas City residents -- Kimberly Ann Mavis, 30, and Jerry Bagby, 51 -- of running an identity-theft scam, U.S. Attorney John Wood's office reports. Mavis allegedly stole customer information from Premier Bank in Overland Park, where she worked. Then she and Bagby would buy things at Best Buy, Sears and other stores in those customers' names, then sell merchandise and pocket the cash, authorities allege.

Report: Most identity thieves aren't using the Internet

There's a new study out today that looks at identity thieves and how they operate. Lot of good stuff here, including a profile of the "typical" identity thief.

I think the most important point is that most identity thieves aren't using the Internet, though that it is part of the problem. Instead, they use change-of-address cards to get your mail and private information. They also go Dumpster-diving or steal mail.

Here's a link to the group that did the study -- with any luck, a full version should be available online later.
And here's a site with more information about identity theft.

Footage of suspect in Gladstone credit-card theft

Video is available here.

From Glenn Rice's report: Gladstone police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a woman suspected of stealing a credit card and making a series of transactions.

Police said that on July 24 the victim told investigators she parked her car at a park and began walking on a trail. While she was gone, someone broke into the trunk of her car and stole her purse. Investigators think the stealing occurred between 5:15 and 5:45 p.m., said Sgt. Richard King, police spokesman.

KC police investigate credit-card theft

Kansas City police want to interview this woman and man in connection with an identity theft from last month.

Someone went into a Plaza office building and pilfered an unattended purse. (A KCPD investigator says this is the second such case in that neighborhood.)  The victim's cards were later used at a local Wal-Mart. Detectives want to interview the people pictured above because they were caught on the store's surveillance cameras. The man and woman were seen leaving the store in a silver or grey PT Cruiser.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS. Surveillance video is available here.

Police: Detroit woman borrowed more than roommate's shirt

A Detroit woman is accused of posing as her dead roommate for weeks after the other woman's death from a heroin overdose. Authorities say she even called up the dead woman's father, told him everything was OK and then asked him for money.

This is not Brittany Ossenfort

According to the Orlando Sentinel, this is Richard Lester Phillips, a former roommate of the real Ossenfort. She says he used her name when he dressed up like a woman and was arrested on suspicion of prostitution. (Best Part: When he needed bailing out, he didn't just call Ossenfort, but her boss, too, she said.)

Unfortunately, the sheriff's department can't change the name in their arrest database because of some policy.

4 charged in alleged JoCo check-forgery ring

Four people have been charged with conspiracy to commit identity fraud after they allegedly rented a hotel room and printed off counterfeit checks, the JoCo DA's office reports. Those charged include Lyndsay Elizabeth Manville, Shelley Auburn Pellegrino, Brian Donald Mamerow and Paul David Torres .

ID thieves target families of servicemen and women

A ring of identity thieves have been posing as Red Cross employee and calling military families to tell them their loved ones have died overseas, The AP reports. The servicemen and women are OK, it's just a scam to get Social Security numbers and other info out of their families.

Worst. Roomate. Ever.

From the New York Daily News:
"As his unconscious roommate was having his leg amputated after an accident, Anthony Giordano tricked hospital staff into handing over the patient's wallet --- and went on a $22,000 spending spree."
Giordano got credit cards in his roomie's name, spent his money on strippers and a new Jeep, and didn't get caught until after he moved out the following year.

Latest victim of ID theft: Herman Munster

Great story about identity thieves who tried to sell the personal data of one Herman Munster, 1313 Mocking Bird Lane. A security firm monitored the chatroom conversation and told the story to AP. The working theory is that a TV fan deliberately gave the bad info to the thieves, who operate overseas and don't get Nick At Nite.

(I can't imagine Herman has really good credit. Have you seen his ride?)

Victim of ID theft hunts down dirtbag who stole her life

Excellent story about a California woman who lost $30K after someone stole her identity theft and made her life a living hell. Unlike most of these cases, this one ended in a foot chase through the streets of San Francisco and the bad guy getting arrested.

Turns out the victim and the suspect were both at the same Starbucks on the same morning. The victim recognized the suspect's coat from a surveillance camera photo.

Hat Tip to a reader who requested anonymity -- Many thanks, friend!