I am currently going through this mess. The most disappointing thing has been all the hard work I've put in to catch the jerk that is doing this and the police do NOTHING except take a report! Someone even bought a car, put in my name at my address then got a ticket (which is how I found out about it) then the DMV said they didn't care if it is registered in my name, I guess since they got the registration money that's all they care about. Here's the real kicker: they got my bank account number and was able to CALL and open a checking and savings account with an ATM card from BANK OF AMERICA! I've NEVER heard of being able to open an account over the phone. The thief even tried to order a computer from Dell over the internet. The worst part of all is that there are laws that protect the privicy of the criminals not the victims. This should have been a fairly easy case to solve but there is no where to turn to. It is just VERY frustrating.

My mother has had a similar situation with this same bank and she also lives in San Diego, Ca! A man who lives in Atlanta, GA had an account with this bank and was using my mother's social security (and had this account for a long time). She was not aware of it until she went to open a savings account and was told that her social security was on another account under this persons name. She proved it was her number not his. If she had not gone to open another account she would not have found out about this. I know this happens everywhere, but this is pretty ironic that it is the same bank and same city & state my mom banks with and lives in as this woman. Something to think about.

That is so scary! I just recently was a victim of credit card fraud. My Corporate card was used and they charged over $2000. thing is I have my card and it is locked up and I cant think of how they got it.

She is lucky she get the card with a photo printed on it.

If the picture was loaded on the chip and not printed she wwould not hve realized that.

It goes to show that biometrics cannot stop ID theft because a criminal can combine a stolen ID and in combination with his or her own picture or fingerprint create a new person and still apply for a credit card or driving license etc using stolen IDs.

Identity theft is a growing problem in America. And everyone is at risk. Research shows more than half of all identity theft is commited by criminals that have established reationships witn their victims such as family members, roomates, neighbors, or co-workers.