 |
For Immediate Release Contact |
FORMAT FOR PRINTING DOWNLOAD PDF |
ID THEFT ISN'T JUST FOR GROWN-UPS
" OPERATION PROTECT THE CHILDREN" TARGETS ID THEFT AGAINST KIDS
Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced today that five people have been charged---and hundreds more may be charged----with stealing and forging social security numbers belonging to children. "Operation Protect the Children" is a joint investigation by the Utah Attorney General's Office, Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ongoing investigation has uncovered an alarming new crime spree involving illegal aliens and identities stolen from victims under the age of 12.
"Identity thieves are no respecters of age. They will steal your children's ID, ruin their credit and hurt them in ways never thought possible before they can graduate from grade school," says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. "Children are vulnerable even if parents do everything right."
Investigators checked Utah state records and found that approximately 1,800 social security numbers, belonging to children under of 13, may have been compromised.
"Everyone is doing everything possible to protect the identities of children," says Resident Agent in Charge Ron Ingleby, Office of Inspector General for the SSA. "Identity thieves could get away with destroying a child's credit for years unless we stop them."
The suspects allegedly used the young victim's social security numbers to get jobs, start businesses and open bank accounts. Investigators found some unbelievable work situations based on the social security numbers, including:
- A 5-year-old Ogden girl supposedly travels 80 miles to get to her job at a steak restaurant in Provo.
- An 8-year Orem boy apparently owns a cleaning company and works as a prep cook at two
upscale restaurants in Salt Lake City.
- And an 11-year Salt Lake City boy supposedly works for an express air freight company.
Social security numbers were also stolen from a 12-year old boy in Beaver and a 9-year-old boy in Orem. One suspect told investigators he paid $100 for a boy's social security number. All 5 suspects have been charged with third degree felony counts of identity fraud and forgery.
"It was shocking," says Kim Oakden, the mother of a 12-year-old victim. "My heck! I felt violated and I'm frustrated that it can happen so easily."
Not only do victims need to fix their credit, they may face problems if they apply for a school loan, Medicaid, food stamps or other government services.
Scott Smith didn't know his 5-year-old daughter was a victim until he asked about state health benefits. "It's frustrating," says Smith. "Now I need to do a credit check for my daughter to see what damage has been done." The suspect allegedly started using the girl's number when she was only 6 -months-old.
The Utah Attorney General's Office offers these tips to help you and your child from becoming the next victims:
- Do not disclose personal information unless you know how it will be used.
- Check credit reports and request a report involving all transactions with you or your child's name and social security number.
- Ask your bank or credit union to require a photo ID and a password for all transactions from your or your child's account.
Here are some ways employers and lenders can prevent problems:
- Ask more questions about a customer before granting credit or hiring an employee.
- Check to see that the name, social security number and address are consistent on all
reports and applications.
- Employers can check a potential employee's social security number by making a
toll-free call to 800-772-6270.
- Make sure third-party service providers and their partners have adequate security to protect
access to personal data.
This investigation and prosecution for "Operation Protect the Children" is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Richard Hamp and Lt. Kevin Pepper at the Utah Attorney General's Office; Ronald Ingleby, Resident Agent in Charge for the Social Security Administration; with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Utah Department of Workforce Services and the ID Theft Task Force, comprised of local, state and federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors.
More information about identity theft can be found at the Attorney General's Identity theft Reporting Information System Web site. Employers can find more information about checking social security numbers at www.ssa.gov/employer.
###