Archive for February 2013

Tell Mel: Identity theft costly in Florida I came back from vacation on Tuesday and I was greeted with really bad news. The 2012 report on fraud and identity theft was released by the Federal Trade Commission and Florida took first place in both categories with 693.5 complaints of fraud for every 100,000 people and…

South Florida Number One in Identity Theft for Second-Straight Year Ah, identity theft. The scourge of our web-retail purchasing nation and a damned pain in the ass to try to fix. South Florida is the mecca of identity theft. Because, of course it is! And now, for the second straight year, we’ve got a monkey-fisted…

Florida leads nation in identity theft-related income tax fraud BOCA RATON —Florida ranks first in stolen identity tax refund fraud, a problem so pervasive it’s now known as SIRF. Over the next five years, the Internal Revenue Service estimates it will send $26 billion worth of tax refunds to people obtaining them fraudulently, said Cindy…

Guard your Social Security number from thieves, federal officials warn With Florida now accounting for a fifth of the nation’s tax-related identity thefts, South Floridians have to guard their Social Security numbers from outsiders — even from employees at medical offices who may sell the information, federal officials said Wednesday evening at a town hall…

Town halls to educate about ID theft in South Florida By day, Salita St. Simon worked as a senior clerk at the Palm Beach County Health Department. But federal prosecutors said last week she put in a second shift of stealing patients’ names and Social Security numbers to funnel to fraudsters to use the identities…

Bill proposed in Tallahassee to fight identity theft A new bill proposed in Tallahassee would make it easier for law enforcement in Florida to arrest people suspected of identity theft. The legislation would make it a crime to possess someone else’s personal information, such as a social security number, without their permission. Current law requires…

Eleven charged with identity theft in tax refund scheme Eleven South Florida residents have been indicted in an identity theft and tax refund fraud scheme worth an estimated $34 million, according to U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer. The 43-count indictment charged Henry Dorvil, 35, of Hollywood; Dukens Eleazard, 33, of Pembroke Pines; Jesse Lamar Harrell,…

Identity Theft Exploding Across South Florida The acting head of the IRS announced a massive national crackdown is underway to prevent billions of dollars in taxpayer refunds from being stolen nationwide. The agency is also apologizing to identity theft victims over how long it’s taking for scammed taxpayers to get their legitimate refunds back. The…

Tax refund fraud like ‘crack cocaine’ for criminals, U.S. attorney says The filing of fraudulent tax returns by money-hungry identity thieves is spreading through South Florida “like a virus” and six recent cases involving 14 defendants highlight that grim reality, federal prosecutors say. Announced on Tuesday evening, the cases reflect Florida’s dubious distinction as the…

Identity theft a growing problem The movie “Identity Thief,” out this week, sees comedian Melissa McCarthy playing crime for yuks, but it’s also giving those who know the serious side of ID theft a chance to nudge viewers in the ribs. Firms that collect credit data, including Atlanta’s Equifax, are ready for calls from reporters.…