An Eastside woman fell prey to an identity theft scam that cost her $20,000 and her heart. The identity thief used a stolen identity to swoon and swindle her. The woman met the scamster on an Internet dating service according to the Madison Police Report.
The man, allegedly a businessperson from Michigan, courted her over the Internet and by phone, even sending her flowers. During the cyber-love affair, the man claimed he needed to go to Africa on business. While allegedly there, he claimed to encounter difficulties. He requested his Madisonian darling to help by sending him money.
Identity thieves typically steal the identities of consumers and use the good name or credit of the consumer to obtain money, goods and services from businesses and other organizations--not from consumers. This case exemplifies how thieves use identity theft and social engineering to defraud consumers.
The police report suggests the victim paid for a background check before sending the money. Consumers can check the integrity of a name online for a small fee. However, online background checks only do just that, they report the integrity of a name. Confirming that the name belongs to an individual is more complicated as the victim found out.
After realizing she was the victim of a scam, the woman travelled to Michigan to learn that the real "Mr. Right" was not the same person that duped her. The police report suggest that this is at least the second time that the Michigan identity theft victim's name was used in a scam.
Consumers and especially employers should use the services of a professional licensed investigator to perform third-party background verifications. Online services available to do-it-yourself consumers are limited in the types of information they can provide by law. Sophisticated databases can only be legally accessed by licensed professionals and law enforcement personnel that have a legal purpose for accessing information. Even then professional investigators use third party contacts to confirm that background information is accurate, much as the victim did when she traveled to Michigan.
This case also illustrates social engineering--manipulating people into giving out information or money. Social engineering is often used together with identity theft and can be performed in person, electronically by email and online, by telephone or through the mail. Social engineering often plays on emotions. Consumers should be careful not to get duped during a tragedy, commemorative event or the holiday season when they are in a mood of giving and have other high emotions.
This case illustrates a play on one of the strongest human emotions--love.
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Comments
It amazes me when so many people fall for these scams when a simple, cheap background check may have saved her all of that heartache. Do a background check before letting go of your heart.
white-pages-lookup.com
Harriet, I read the article and it says the victim did a background check. The Examiner critiques the pitfalls of doing it yourself as the victim did, did you read that? Google the writer, it seems like this subject is his expertise.
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