What happens to criminals caught for identity theft? What will happen to my cousin if they prove it is her?
j3ffdecierdo asked:
About a year ago, I found out that my name was used to purchase a number of magazines. The magazine company sent me a letter telling me that I was going to be put into collection if I didn’t pay the amount billed for the magazines. Well I knew it wasn’t me who purchased the magazines, so I told the company that it was a fraud account and luckily they closed the account without billing me. But heres the catch: the address that the magazines were being sent to was a relative of mine. Also, the magazine company sent me a copy of the card that was filled out by my relative. When I recieved the copy of the card I knew exactly that this person was my cousin because I noticed her handwriting. Now my only problem is how am I going to prove that it was her writing? If I ask her I know right away that she will just lie about it. I’ve already filed for identity theft and all I need to do is file a police report. What will the police do about it? Will they do an investigation?
Hopefully someone can be able to answer all of my questions. Also, what would happen to my cousin if I’m able to prove that this is her who did this?
Sylvia
About a year ago, I found out that my name was used to purchase a number of magazines. The magazine company sent me a letter telling me that I was going to be put into collection if I didn’t pay the amount billed for the magazines. Well I knew it wasn’t me who purchased the magazines, so I told the company that it was a fraud account and luckily they closed the account without billing me. But heres the catch: the address that the magazines were being sent to was a relative of mine. Also, the magazine company sent me a copy of the card that was filled out by my relative. When I recieved the copy of the card I knew exactly that this person was my cousin because I noticed her handwriting. Now my only problem is how am I going to prove that it was her writing? If I ask her I know right away that she will just lie about it. I’ve already filed for identity theft and all I need to do is file a police report. What will the police do about it? Will they do an investigation?
Hopefully someone can be able to answer all of my questions. Also, what would happen to my cousin if I’m able to prove that this is her who did this?
Sylvia
Brent
hi yes they will do an investigation,
Once she is found guilty if her first offence she will be sent to court and then chances are for a first offence she will get some kind of community service and/or 1yr good behaviour bond.
Silly Girl
Cecil
First, contact the police (not using 911) give them the details and see if it’s a crime they prosecute. Some states, like Colorado, don’t have specific identity theft laws and may not be prosecuted by local authorities. If they do have such laws make sure you get directed to the proper authorities for this matter.
Outside of the local authorites the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the designated federal authority for ALL identity theft crimes. You can contact them and file a report on this situation.
In either case an investigation will be conducted. You don’t necessarily need to prove the writing on the card is your cousins. The fact that it’s not your writing can be proven easily. Additionally, the card company can be contacted to find out where the card was sent to. Add this to fact that the magazines are going to her home and you have a very compelling case.
Should she be prosecuted, her sentence could be vary, again depending on the state. With more recent crackdowns in punishing identity theft criminals she could be looking at anywhere from fines to well over a year in prison. It’s not something I can clearly define without more information.
If nothing else, start the processes of fixing your identity. Contact the FTC, they have a package available with sample letters you’ll want to write to creditors, credit agencies, and the magazine companies to help keep any of this off your credit report.